Biometric and Survival Responses of Sex-Reversed Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) Fingerlings to Extended Acclimatization Periods

Evaluating biometric and survival responses is essential in aquaculture for assessing fish health and performance, particularly in species like the sex-reversed Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.), where understanding the effects of extended acclimatization can improve handling protocols, reduce stress-related losses, and enhance overall rearing efficiency. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of extended acclimatization periods on the biometric and survival responses of the sex-reversed Nile tilapia fingerlings. A total of nine experimental units were installed in a single pond, representing three acclimatization durations: 20 minutes (T1), 30 minutes (T2), and 40 minutes (T3), each replicated thrice. Over a 15-day rearing period, biometric parameters such as mean length gain (MLG), mean weight gain (MWG), length-weight relationship (LWR), Fulton’s condition factor (K), and relative condition factor (Kn) were evaluated alongside survival rates and water quality. The results revealed no significant differences in MWG, MLG, K, Kn, and survival rates across treatments. All groups exhibited negative allometric growth with moderately strong length-weight correlations (r² = 0.75–0.81). Water quality parameters remained within acceptable ranges throughout the study, suggesting that environmental conditions were not limiting factors. Histograms of biometric parameters indicated consistent distributions with minimal outliers. These findings demonstrate that the sex-reversed Nile tilapia fingerlings are resilient to varying acclimatization durations, with no adverse effects on growth or survival, supporting the flexibility of acclimatization protocols in hatchery and grow-out operations. Among the tested durations, a 20-minute acclimatization period remains a practical option to minimize time and labor, and the results may also be applicable to other aquaculture species. Future studies are encouraged to include post-stocking fingerling counts and longer culture periods to better assess the long-term effects of acclimatization strategies.