EffectofPhotoperiod,DietaryProteinandTemperatureon.docVIP

Effect of Photoperiod, Dietary Protein and Temperature on Reproduction in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Gamal O. EI-Naggar1, M. A. EI-Nady2, M. G. Kamar2, and A. I. Al-Kobaby2 International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, PO Box 2416, Cairo, Egypt. Gelnagar@ 2. Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt ABSTRACT Photoperiod, crude protein level and water temperature were studied for their effects on reproductive performance and egg hatchability in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Photoperiod was either natural (12h illumination: 12h dark) or complete darkness during 24 hours. Crude protein was in diets at 20%, 30% or 40%. Water temperature during spawning season was considered as a third factor and decreased naturally according to air temperature from 22 to 18oC. Spawning rate in Nile tilapia was affected by all three factors. Nile tilapia did not lay eggs when water temperature decreased below 19o C regardless of crude protein level in diets or photoperiod. When water temperature increased to 19-21oC, spawning percentage averaged 10 and 34.9% for dark and natural photoperiod treatments, respectively. The most productive period coincided with a rise in water temperature from 22 to 27o. Spawning performance improved with increasing protein level only when broodstock were exposed to natural photoperiod. Under these conditions, spawning frequencies were 66.6, 85.7 and 171.4% of total number of female broodstock fed diets containing 20, 30 and 40% crude protein, respectively. Spawning rate in total female broodstock was 50 and 110% of total brooders during the spawning season when Nile tilapia were exposed to dark and natural photoperiod, respectively. Reproduction performance in O. niloticus can be improved by exposing Nile tilapia broodstock to natural photoperiod and water temperature above 22o and feeding a 40% crude protein diet. INTRODUCTION It is well known that nutrition affects reproductive