Feeding management of fingerlings of Nile tilapia <em>Oreochromis niloticus</em> (L.) associated with physical, biological and chemical variables of the environment

Abstract

Feed management of 1680 Nile tilapia fingerlings (Perciformes, Cichlidae) with approximately 24 mm of mean length and 0.30g of mean weight is provided. The fingerlings were distributed in 24 tanks with 250 liters each. capacity each one. They were feed on a commercial diet four times a day. Four treatments with different levels of vitamin C and six repetitions constituted the experiment. Data of physical-chemical and biological variables, environment and water temperature, water transparency, dissolved oxygen, ammonium and nitrite levels in water, pH, phytoplankton and zooplankton biovolume, period of day, number collect and effect of treatment were analyzed. Stomach repletion degree is influenced by water and environment temperature, period of day, pH, phytoplankton and zooplankton biovolume and number of collect. Highest values of RD were obtained in the hottest hours of the day, which shows that the feed intake occurs in the highest temperature, coinciding with the time of the most intense light species characterized as diurnal. Artificial diet was preferred, followed by phytoplankton. This confirms the phytoplanktivorous habit of the specie, its diet and filtered, non-visual predation.