Growth Performance of the Bouaké and Brazil Strains of Nile Tilapia (oreochromis Niloticus, Linnaeus 1758) Reared in Floating Cages in Côte D’ivoire
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is the main farmed fish in Côte d’Ivoire. How its two approved strains, Bouaké and Brazil, compare in floating cages was unknown. This study assessed their growth performance during grow-out on the Sassandra River, at Buyo (Côte d’Ivoire). Six floating cages of 87.5 m³ (three per strain) were stocked with 4,800 monosex male fingerlings each. Mean initial body weight was 18.15 ± 1.90 g for Bouaké and 18.63 ± 0.69 g for Brazil. Fish received a 32% protein industrial feed twice daily for 125 days. The feeding rate was adjusted monthly after each control seining. Water quality stayed within the tolerance range of the species (temperature: 28.98–29.21 °C; dissolved oxygen: 5.78–6.06 mg/L; pH: 7.01–7.09). At harvest, the Brazil strain reached a higher final body weight (370.10 ± 32.33 g vs 296.08 ± 25.87 g; p < 0.05). Daily weight gain (2.61 ± 0.03 vs 2.05 ± 0.19 g/day), specific growth rate (2.25 ± 0.04 vs 2.05 ± 0.08 %/day), total production (1,393.25 ± 25.34 vs 1,143.05 ± 64.10 kg) and yield (50.22 ± 1.88 vs 41.20 ± 2.18 kg/m³/year) followed the same pattern. Survival rates (78.43 and 80.43%) did not differ. The Brazil strain is therefore better suited to cage grow-out in Côte d’Ivoire.
Language: English
Subfield: Aquatic Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7225310366