The current research is part of a collaborative project aimed at facilitating the efficient transfer of innovative eco-technology ASTAF-PRO aquaponic from Germany to Egypt for the purpose of sustainable aquaculture and food production. The present study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of monosex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in ASTAF-PRO compared to an earthen pond as a positive control.
The present results indicated that there was a significant increase in the final weight and final length of monosex Nile tilapia compared to the initial values in both groups, with a remarkable increase in the average weight and length over time. The weight gain and length gain were higher for the fish reared in a pond compared to aquaponic, which could be linked to culture condition (habitat) since the same feed was used. Feed conversion ratio, condition factor, specific growth rate, and survival rate were comparable (p > 0.05) in both groups. This means that both culture conditions for O. niloticus did not negatively affect the examined growth performance variables.
Final net productivity was 42.5 kg m-3 for the ASTAF-PRO system and 43 kg m-3 for the POND system, at fish capacity of 227 fish m-3 for ASTAF-PRO and 166 fish m-3 for the pond system. However, the ASTAF-PRO unit had vegetable crops as a secondary product, which increased the profitability of the system, in addition to the overwhelming superiority of ASTAF-PRO in water saving. This result indicates that ASTAF-PRO, as an aquaponics system, can compete with traditional pond culture techniques in large-scale farming.
Read the complete research at www.researchgate.net.
Khedr, Zohier & Farrag, Mahmoud & Kloas, Werner & Osman, Alaa. (2022). Growth performance of the monosex Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus in aquaponics vs. traditional earthen pond. 15. 2930-2937.