Feeding Rate Influenced the Growth Performances of Tilapia, Common Carp, and Rice Yield in the Rice-Fish Integrated Farming System

Billah, Md; Uddin, Md; Ali, Md; Haque, Md; Shahjahan, Md; Anwar, Md; Haque, Shamsul

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2025.421515

Feeding Rate Influenced the Growth Performances of Tilapia, Common Carp, and Rice Yield in the Rice-Fish Integrated Farming System

Authors

10.21608/ejabf.2025.421515

Abstract

The integrated rice-fish farming system is a traditional aquacultural practice that enhances resource utilization efficiency and productivity. Feeding rate is among the fundamental elements influencing fish growth in aquaculture. Hence, in a rice-fish combined culture, we evaluated the impact of feeding rate on tilapia and common carp growth and rice output. The research was carried out using nine different treatments with different triplicates. Only rice was in the control treatment (T0). In T1, T2, T3, and T4, fish were fed with traditional feed (rice bran) based on body weight of 4, 6, 8, and 10%, correspondingly. On the other hand, in T5, T6, T7, and T8, fish were fed with artificial floating feed based on body weight of 4, 6, 8, and 10%, respectively. The final body weight increased with increasing the feeding rate. The highest SGR was in the fish feed with artificial floating feed in T7 (common carp 2.40 and tilapia 4.01) and T8 (common carp 2.50 and tilapia 4.09). In T8, tilapia (306.9g) and carp (187.52 g) had the best weight gain after 75 days of transplanting. T0 produced the most rice and straw yield (5.62 and 7.00 t ha^-1), although the rice yield was not significantly higher than T7 (5.33 t h-1), T6 (5.25 t ha^-1), and T5 (5.10 t h^-1). The highest net return was recorded in T7 (8501.66$ ha^-1) and T8 (8501.16$ ha^-1). The T8 produced 498.44% more gross return and 58.22% more benefit cost ratio (BCR) than the control (T0). Therefore, it could be in the best interest of the farmers to adopt an 8% body weight daily feeding rate for carp and tilapia cultured in a combined rice-fish farming system.

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