Performance of Nile tilapia <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i> strains in Brazil: a comparison with Philippine strain

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of three Nile tilapia strains in Brazil compared to Genomar Supreme™ Generation 24 from the Philippines. Tilapia fingerlings, male population, of approximately 8 g which were cultivated in water recirculation systems containing 0.5 m3 tanks, density of 60 fish m−3, with four replicates (tanks). The fish will be fed three times a day with the same commercial feed for each particular growth phase according to biomass in each tank. Five fish from each tank were sampled at the start and 60th, 120th, 180th and 240th days of cultivation. They were determined the weight gain, feed conversion and homogeneity of batch in each period. The Gompertz model given by y = A e ( − B e − K x ) was fit and it was calculated the absolute and relative growth rate. The weight and age at inflection point were calculated too. The improvement programme from Genomar in the Philippines brings tilapia strain with better growth rate and performance when compared with the one commercialized in Brazil. This Philippine strain constitutes an important potential to improve tilapia farm in Brazil. However, the use of this genetics needs to be accomplished in this country.