EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON GROWTH PARAMETERS OF NILE TILAPIA

Aims: To analyze the effect of temperature on the growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Study design: Experimental study to improve production strategies in a context of climate change 
Place and Duration of Study: A 2-month trial (from 15th April to 15th June, 2024) was conducted at the ISMA Aquaculture Experimental Unit. 
Methodology: Therefore, after a 10-day habituation period, the Nile tilapia fry were distributed in triplicate into aquariums containing 35 liters of water at a density of 20 fry weighing 3.3 g per aquarium. The fish were subjected to three treatments: T0: ambient water temperature, T1: 32°C, and T2: 34°C. They were manually fed 3 times a day with a commercial feed containing 33% crude protein. 
Results: At the end of the trial, the results show that the overall growth of tilapias is better at T0 and T1, with a significant increase in the average weight of the fish compared to T2. The survival rate is also higher at these temperatures reaching 100%, while it decreases to 85% for T2. The feed conversion ratio is better at T0 and T1, with respectively a TCA of 2.01 and 2.10 indicating optimal nutrient utilization at these temperatures; and less favorable at T2 with a TCA of 2.75. The daily weight gain (DWG) of tilapias is better in T0 and T1, with a DWG of 0.14 and 0.12 g/day respectively but drops at T2 to 0.10 g/day.
Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of maintaining a maximum temperature of 32°C to optimize the growth performance of Nile tilapia and thus improve the productivity and efficiency of culture systems for this species.