Growth, Survival and Overall Economics of Pond Polyculture Operations with Indian Major Carps Under Differential Diet Regimen Utilizing Local Food Products in Cooch Behar District of West Bengal, India Chakraborty Chandan1, Jha Prithwiraj2, Barat Sudip1,* 1Department of Zoology, University of North Bengal, Siliguri-734 013, West Bengal 2Department of Zoology, Raiganj Surendranath Mahavidyalaya, Raiganj-733 134, West Bengal *E-mail: sudipbarat@rediffmail.com
Online published on 23 May, 2013. Abstract Two similar feeding experiments were conducted from April’2008 to February’2009 and again from April’2009 to March’2010 at outdoor farmer’s ponds in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, India, where Indian Major Carps (IMCs) namely, rohu (Labeo rohita), catla (Catla catla) and mrigal (Cirrhina mrigala) were stockedat a ratio of 3:3:4 andcultured under four different diet regimen. The fish were fed with a mixture of: fish meal, mustard oil cake, rice bran and broken rice (Treatment A); mustard oil cake, bakery wastes (unused bread) and rice meal (Treatment B); wheat flour, maize and silkworm pupae (Treatment C); and the commonly used mustard oil cake and rice bran (Treatment Dor control). Growth increment was highest in Treatment C for all the fish species during both the culture periods. Survival and specific growth rates were similar for each species during both the culture periods. The food conversion ratio was better in Treatment B for all the fish species during both the culture periods, possibly due to its higher protein content. Economic analysis of the experiments revealed that Treatment C had the highest yields per ha (net profit), followed by Treatments B, A and D in decreasing order and this diet regime (a mixture of wheat flour, maize and silkworm pupae) could be suggested for pond polyculture operations of IMCs in Cooch Behar district. Top Keywords Indian Major Carps, Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhinamrigala, polyculture, diet, growth, economics. Top |