Growth Response and Survival of Gold Gouramis (Trichogaster trichopterus) Fry Raised on Different Starter Diets

Eighty-four days feeding trial experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different starter feeds on growth performance and survival of gold gouramis fry, Trichogaster trichopterus. Four diets (Aller aqua, Artemia, Daphnia and Fish meal) denoted T1, T2, T3 and T4 were fed at five percent body weight to fish samples. One hundred hatchlings of Trichogaster trichopterus were stocked per treatment and replicated thrice. Growth performance, survival and water quality parameters were determined according to standard procedures. Data collected during the study were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 11 (2001) and Statistical Analysis Software (SAS), Version 8 (2001). Duncan’s Multiple Range Test was used to compare the differences among the means. Mean weight gain (MWG) of fish fed T3 (1.72g) gave a significant growth rate p<0.05 than other treatments. Specific growth rate of T3 varied significantly p<0.05 compared to other treatments. Survival of T3 (36%) was significantly higher p<0.05 than other treatments. Dissolved oxygen (7.5g/l) of T1 was significantly different than T2, T3 and T4 pH of T1 and T4 was significantly different from other treatments. It is evident that among the diets fed to the fish samples, T3 gave the best growth performance and survival. Keywords: Trichogaster trichopterus, Growth performance, Survival, Water quality parameters