World Journal of Fish and Marine Sciences 1 (3): 212-217, 2009 ISSN 1992-0083 © IDOSI Publications, 2009 Corresponding Author: Suman Bhusan Chakraborty, Department of Zoology, Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly 72201, West Bengal, India 212 Culture of Monosex Nile Tilapia under Different Traditional and Non-Traditional Methods in India Suman Bhusan Chakraborty and Samir Banerjee 1 2 Department of Zoology, Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly 712201, West Bengal, India 1 Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 2 Abstract: Little is known about the growth performance of sex-reversed, all male Oreochromis niloticus under different traditional and non-traditional culture methods practiced in India. In this study, 17" - methyltestosterone treated monosex tilapia was cultured in concrete tank, flow-through system, cage, pen and earthen pond. Similar feeding regime and stocking density of fish were maintained for all the culture systems. Different growth parameters like body weight, length, depth, daily weight gain (DWG), specific growth rate (SGR) and proximate body composition were analyzed at the end of the four month culture period. It was found that culture in earthen ponds yielded the highest weight, length, depth, DWG, SGR and protein content compared to other four culture methods. On the other hand, culture in concrete tanks showed the lowest growth among all culture methods. There was no significant difference in fish yield for flow-through, cage and pen culture systems. Additional availability of energy-rich natural food materials and uniform water flow in ponds may attribute to such trend in growth pattern of the fish among the culture systems. Thus, culture of androgen treated monosex tilapia in earthen ponds can be regarded as the ideal method for socio-economically sustainable augmented fish production in India. Key words: Nile tilapia %Monosex %Growth pattern %Culture methods INTRODUCTION in Nile tilapia where males grow significantly faster, larger The Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) is study, monosex population of male tilapia was one of the most important freshwater fish in world produced by treating fry with a synthetic male hormone aquaculture [1]. It is widely cultured in many tropical and 17" -methyltestosterone (17" MT) at a treatment regime of subtropical countries of the world [2]. Rapid growth rates, 10 mg/kg food for 30 days [8]. Introduction of such high tolerance to adverse environmental conditions, hormone treated sex reversed tilapia in water bodies of efficient feed conversion, ease of spawning, resistance to India might prove effective to induce a positive approach disease and good consumer acceptance make it a suitable towards tilapia culture in the country. fish for culture [3]. Farmed tilapia production increased The culture practices of tilapia can be extensive, semi- dramatically in recent years, increasing from 383,654 mt in intensive and intensive [9]. There has been a gradual shift 1990 to 2,326,413 mt in 2006 [4]. Tilapia has established a in tilapia culture from traditional semi-intensive to non- secure position in a number of water impoundments of traditional intensive farm systems [10]. But, deciding the India. But, its performance in open water ponds of the optimal culture method for tilapia farming can be quite country has been discouraging over the years [5]. The complex [11]. Traditionally, tilapia is often cultured in major concern for tilapia aquaculture is excessive earthen ponds without supplemental feeding [12]. reproduction and the resulting small size of the fish Intensive monoculture of the fish in concrete tanks is produced [6]. Hence, the desirability of monosex male carried out in a few countries. Although practiced in populations of tilapia is well established for increased some countries, cage culture of tilapia is yet to be production potential and low management requirements. commercialized on a wide scale basis. Pen culture of tilapia Besides, sex-specific differences in growth are significant in open waters of lakes is practised in the Philippines on and more uniform in size than females [7]. In a previous