Comparative Growth Performance of Mixed-Sex and Monosex Nile Tilapia Population in Freshwater Cage Culture System under Indian Perspective

Cage culture is one of the important methods for intensive culture of tilapia in large water impoundments. But, information related to growth performance of androgen-treated monosex tilapia population during cage culture under the ecological conditions of India is limited. The aim of this study was to compare the growth potential of control, mixed-sex and androgen-treated, monosex tilapia in confined environment of cages. Control and hormone treated fish were stocked separately in mesh cages at a density of 50 fry / m3 and it was found that the androgen treated monosex fish grew significantly larger than their control mixed-sex counterparts. The monosex population showed a significantly higher weight, length, depth, specific growth rate, daily weight gain, protein efficiency ratio and body protein content than the mixed-sex tilapia population. Thus, culture of hormone treated monosex tilapia in cages can be considered ideal for augmented production of the fish under Indian context.