Effects of Feeding Rates on Growth Performance, Feed Utilization and Body Composition of Asian Red Tail Catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides), Cultured in Northeast Thailand

Two experiments were carried out at the Khon Kaen University, Nong Khai Campus, Thailand during November, 2011 to May, 2012 to search for the most appropriate rates of feeding rations for fingerling and juvenile Asian redtail catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides). A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications was used for both experiments. Experiment 1 had four treatments, i.e., T1 (2%), T2 (3%), T3 (4%, control), and T4 (5%). The same experimental design was used for the experiment 2, where four treatments were used, i.e., T1 (1%), T2 (2%), T3 (3%, control) and T4 (4%). The percentages of the amounts of rations used for Experiments 1 and 2 were based on body-live weight per day. Fingerling and juvenile fish were used for the experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Each experiment was carried out for 10 weeks. The results showed that a rate of 5% body live weight per day for fingerling fish of T4 of experiment 1 is the most appropriate rate for the fingerling fish. An increase in ration rate highly increased final body live weight. For juvenile fish of the experiment 2, it was found that there were no significant differences in live weights amongst the treated fish yet weight gained and specific growth rates between T1 and the rest were highly significant, whereas the results of the juvenile fish of T2 up to T4 were similar hence, 2% body live weight per day of T2 is the most appropriate rate for juvenile fish.