Acompanhamento das atividades de tilapicultura em tanques-rede na empresa pax pescados Ltda, General Sampaio, Ceará

Abstract

Aquaculture has become a viable alternative to meet the supply of fish, reduced by overfishing of many fish stocks. The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), strain chitralada, is gaining more prominence among cultivated organisms, due to their characteristics such as tolerance to high stocking rates and to rustic trait, fast growth and resistance to pathogens. Currently, the Nile tilapia strain chitralada is mainly grown in intensive systems using cages and has shown good performance in the Brazilian Northeast. This is because of the advantages such as greater use of flooded areas, low cost of structures used and rapid deployment. The purpose of this report was to describe the activities of rearing Nile tilapia strain chitralada in Pax Pescados Company Ltd, Units 2 and 3; in General Sampaio, Ceara, in April 2012, with a workload of 128 hours, from the receipt of previously reversed fingerlings, stocking, feeding management, growing and marketing. In the first step of cultivation, fry received were carefully stored in nursery cages with dimensions of 3 m x 2 m x 1.8 m, remaining stored there until they reach 50 g. From this body weight the fingerlings underwent a manual separation in two sizes: P (small fish) and M (medium fish). Later, they were transported to other cages of various sizes (3 m x 2 m x 1.3 m, 4 m x 2 m x 2.2 m, 3 m x 6 m x 2.2 m, 3 m x 6 m x 2.8 m) which consisted of the second step of cultivation. The fish had their biometrics measured monthly, performed by an individual weighing 3% of the total of fish stocked in each cage, considered of fundamental importance, since it allowed possible adjustments in the amount of feed offered to the fish. The feeding schedule was subject to modification according to the needs of individuals as they unfolded. Fish of 50 g were immunized with the AQUAVAC® STREP Sa vaccine against Streptococcus, suitable for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The company Pax Pescados took on the vaccination of fish as a preventive method to improve survival rate, increase productivity and extend the period of protection. At the end of cultivation and, according to buyers' requirements, the fish were graded and sold at different prices depending on their size classification for sale.