Reuse of water from biofloc technology for intensive culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): effects on productive performance, organosomatic indices and body composition

Abstract

During a growout period of 14 weeks, the productive performance, organosomatic indices and body composition of the Nile tilapia <em>Oreochromis niloticus</em> cultivated at high density reusing the water from systems with biofloc technology (BFT) were evaluated. Two treatments: tilapia cultured in biofloc (TB) and tilapia cultured in reused water biofloc (RW) were established. Mixed sex, juvenile Nile tilapia (average weight and length: 79.28 ± 14.44 g and 12.44 ± 0.70 cm) were stocked into 6 experimental units (0.2 m3) at a density of 100 fish/m3. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved salts, pH, NH4–N, NH3–N and NO3–N were recorded daily, while NO2–N, general hardness, carbonate hardness and settleable solids were recorded weekly. The weight and length of the tilapias were recorded biweekly. Survival, productive performance, proximal composition and organosomatic indices of Nile tilapia were evaluated. The water parameters in RW treatment such as pH, total dissolved salts, NO2–N, NO3–N and carbonate hardness were significantly greater (<em>p</em> < 0.05), when compared to those obtained in TB treatment. Survival rate was > 98% under both treatments. The final weight (TB = 163.09 ± 42.34 g, RW = 159.23 ± 39.92 g), protein (19.1%) and lipid (2.2%) content of the tilapia were non-significantly different between treatments. In addition, no significant differences in the gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices were observed either between tilapia sex or between the treatments. The results suggest that the intensive cultivation of Nile tilapia in biofloc can be established using reuse water from BFT systems, without adverse effects on their survival, productive performance, proximal composition and gonadal development.