Produção de Geophagus brasiliensis em diferentes densidades de estocagem em sistema de recirculação de água

Abstract

The pearl cichlid (Geophagus brasiliensis) is a species that has great potential for aquaculture, mainly from the point of view of ornamental aquaculture. However, information about the cultivation of this cichlid is scarce. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the zootechnical performance of the pearl cichlid grown under different stocking densities, in a recirculation system. The experimental design had four treatments and three repetitions each. The tested densities were 60, 100, 140 and 180 fish m-3. The juveniles were stored with an initial weight of 4.73 ± 0.36 g and a length of 6.96 ± 0.24 cm (mean ± standard deviation). The productivity was statistically higher in the treatments with the highest densities while the final weight, weight gain and survival did not differ statistically. There was aggressiveness among the fish only in the treatments with the lowest densities (60 and 100 fish m-3). These results demonstrate that this species can be stored at high densities (up to 180 fish m-3), without impairing zootechnical performance, which is a highly desirable factor for choosing a new species for commercial aquaculture.