<b>Water alkalinity influence on the growth of Nile Tilapia larvae (<em>Oreochromis niloticus</em> Linnaeus, 1758 Perciformes, Cichlidae)</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v26i2.1630

Abstract

The growth of Oreochromis niloticus larvae was studied in different levels of water alkalinity. The laboratory experiment, which was carried out over a period of 42 days in 20-liter aquariums, consisted of three treatments: A – 15.55mg CaCO₃/L, B – 32.58mg CaCO₃/L and C – 56.77mg CaCO₃/L, with eighteen repetitions each. Water temperature, alkalinity, hardness, calcium, pH and conductivity values were monitored. The growth in total length, dry weight and wet weight were determined, as well as the relationships between dry weight and total length and the larvae relative condition factor in the different treatments. The result indicate that the maintenance of tilápia larvae under medium value of alkalinity of 32.58±5.64mg CaCO3/L, which provided calcium concentration of 13.27±1.44mg Ca+₂/L (treatment B), is recommended for promoting better growth in total length (3.14±0.21cm), dry weight (67.66±14.95mg), wet weigh (415.40±90.75mg) and relative condition factor (1.043).