Effect of vitamin-mineral premix supplementation on productive performance of sex-reversed red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x Oreochromis mossambicus) in cage culture

Abstract

Sex-reversed red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x Oreochromis mossambicus) with an average initial weight of 6.55+0.34 g were reared in a cage and fed with isonitrogenous and isolipid diets with and without vitamin-mineral premix supplementation, assigned as diet 1 and 2, respectively, for 9 weeks. The results showed that the fish fed with the diet without vitamin and mineral supplementation had poorer growth and lower feed utilization efficiency than those fed with the diet supplemented with vitamins and minerals. Although the non-supplemented diet had lower feed cost, the fish production cost was equal for both diets. It is therefore necessary to supplement the vitamin-mineral premix in the diet for tilapia cage culture in order to obtain a desirable production level.