Potential Effect of Different Stocking Density Levels on Growth Performance and Survival of Climbing Perch, Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792)

Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792), the climbing perch, popularly known as koi, is an obligate air breathing fish, inhabiting fresh and brackish waters of Southeast Asia. A study was conducted in 12 circular cement cisterns, each of 518-liter capacity, to evaluate the effects of stocking density on growth performance and survival of climbing perch (Anabas testudineus). Stocking density is one of the key variables influencing growth, survival and production levels of a fish species. Four different stocking densities of koi (treatments) were compared viz, 10 (T1), 20 (T2), 30 (T3) and 40 (T4) numbers/ 0.5 m3 volume of circular cistern. Each stocking density was studied in triplicate. Formulated pellet feed of 20% protein content was fed twice daily at 5 % of the body weight. Growth response and water quality parameters of fish were monitored at fortnightly intervals. The duration of the study was four months. On termination of the study, the final average weight in the four treatments were 73.34 gin T1, 57.13 in T2, 42.20 g in T3 and 23.86 g in T4. Growth in terms of average length (cm), length gain (cm), average weight (g), weight gain (g), average daily growth (% ADG), and specific growth rate (% SGR) was higher in the first treatment (T1) as compared to treatments, T2, T3 and T4. The higher SGR % of 3.01 was recorded in treatment T1 and the lowest of 2.05 in treatment T4. The best FCR of 1.83 was intreatment T1, while the poorest FCR of 5.98was in treatment T4. The FCE % ranged from 54.61 in T1 to 16.70 in T4. Increasing the stocking density could result in a stress condition, linked to social interaction, which in turn, leads to reduced food intake, poor feed utilization and consequently poor rowth. The results revealed that stocking density had a significant effect on growth performance of climbing perch. Lower stocking densities of koi, favored better growth and production. Keywords: Stocking Density levels of Climbing Perch