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High-yield aquaculture using low-cost feed and waste recycling methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

Gerald L. Schroeder  and
Steven Serfling
Gerald L. Schroeder
Affiliation:
Senior Scientist, Fish and Aquaculture Research Station, Dor, Hof HaCarmel, Israel.
Steven Serfling
Affiliation:
President and Chief Scientist, Solar AquaFarms, P.O. Box 530, Sun City, CA 92381.
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Abstract

Conventional, low-yield aquaculture methods use earthen, standing water fish ponds that typically are stocked with 0.5 to 2 fish/m2 and produce 3 to 10 tons of fish/ha/year using refined feeds. At higher fish stocking densities and fish yield, production of metabolites and residues exceeds such a pond's natural recycling capability, so that a higher rate of flushing is required. This wastes water and valuable nutrients and creates a potentially polluting effluent In an alternative system, by increasing the rate at which the metabolites and feed wastes are microbially processed within the culture system, production rates exceeding 500 tons of tilapia fish/ha/year have been attained with less than 0.5 percent water change daily. In preliminary experiments in this closed bioconversion system, we have replaced all formulated feeds with agricultural residues and fertilizers, which are converted into protein by intense microbial processing. The rate of fish growth indicated that much or possibly all the feed requirements of tilapia grown in this type of closed, densely stocked system can be satisfied by intense cultivation of heterotrophic microbes.

Keywords

stocking densitiestilapiaagricultural residuesmicrobial processingfish growthrecycling
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , June 1989 , pp. 71 - 74
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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References

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