A PRELIMINARY TRIAL TO DETERMINE THE FEEDING PREFERENCE OF OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS (NILE TILAPIA) FINGERLINGS FOR DIFFERENT PREPARATIONS OF LEMNA MINOR (DUCKWEED)
Open Access
- Author:
- Campolong, Cody James
- Area of Honors:
- Civil Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Rachel Alice Brennan, Thesis Supervisor
Rachel Alice Brennan, Thesis Honors Advisor
Stephanie Butler Velegol, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- Lemna minor
duckweed
Oreochromis niloticus
nile tilapia
feeding preference - Abstract:
- Hunger and malnutrition present serious complications for several areas all over the world. In 2012, about 25% of the world’s children were classified as chronically malnourished; currently, almost one billion people go hungry every day (World Hunger Education Service, 2015). With a population forecast of 10 billion people in 2050, world hunger and malnutrition issues will become more severe and problematic (Worldometers.info, 2016). The finite amount of resources and space on Earth, in combination with the demands of a growing population, present an inevitable challenge that society must confront. That challenge resides in the production of basic needs (food, water, energy, shelter) for more people using fewer resources on Earth. Aquaponics, farming aquatic animals and growing crops in a single system, has been proposed by the United Nations as a potential solution to help feed the world (Somerville et al., 2014). Unfortunately, the relatively high cost and unsustainable practice of producing commercial fish feed from ocean-caught fish is currently inhibiting aquaponics from reaching its true potential (Naylor et al., 2000). A possible solution to this problem resides in the utilization of high-protein, plant-based feedstock to replace traditional fishmeal. Many omnivorous fish are known to eat aquatic plants. For example, Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia), a fish commonly used in aquaculture (fish farming) systems, has been shown to feed on Lemna minor (duckweed) growing in slow-moving or stagnant water (Heuze & Tran, 2015). To provide a steady supply of duckweed for aquaponics systems year-round, it is necessary to harvest and dry the plant for extended storage. The goal of this research was to test the preference of Nile tilapia fingerlings for duckweed dried under different conditions to determine the best preparation for use in future pilot-scale aquaponics studies. The different duckweed drying methods tested in this study included: drying in an oven at 40 or 60° C, and drying in the sun. Utilizing Manly’s α preference index, the results of six randomized feeding trials revealed that Nile tilapia fingerlings exhibit preference (α > 1/m; m = 3) for duckweed dried at 40° C and 60° C, and exhibit an avoidance (α < 1/m; m = 3) for sun-dried duckweed.