Effect of Feeding Frequency of Ulva lactuca-Supplemented Diet on Growth Performance and Feed Efficiency of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29303/tabhb544Keywords:
Nile Tilapia, Feeding Frequency, Ulva Lactuca, Feed Efficiency, Growth Performance.Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency of a diet supplemented with 12% Ulva lactuca meal on the growth performance, feed efficiency, and survival rate of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The experiment was conducted for 60 days at the Noekele Fish Hatchery Center, Kupang Regency, Indonesia. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed with three feeding frequency treatments and three replicates: P1 (feeding twice daily), P2 (feeding three times daily), and P3 (feeding four times daily). Parameters observed included weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency, survival rate, and water quality. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at a 95% confidence level. The results showed that feeding frequency significantly affected growth performance, feed efficiency, and survival rate of Nile tilapia (P<0.05). The highest performance was obtained in treatment P3, with a weight gain of 7.72 ± 0.77 g, specific growth rate of 2.41 ± 0.15% day⁻¹, feed efficiency of 76.66 ± 5.58%, and survival rate of 100%. These values were significantly higher than those observed in P1 and P2. Increased feeding frequency likely improved nutrient availability and utilization, resulting in enhanced growth and feed conversion efficiency. Water quality parameters remained within the optimal range for Nile tilapia culture, with temperatures of 26–30°C and pH values of 7.0–8.5 throughout the study. In conclusion, feeding Nile tilapia with a diet containing 12% Ulva lactuca meal four times per day is the optimal feeding frequency to improve growth performance, feed efficiency, and survival rate
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