Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
Research
Performance assessment of recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) designs for culture of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
Author(s): Shadrack Kwadwo Amponsah*, Enoch Bessah, Sampson Agodzo, Helena Asare, Samuel Mensah Agyemang and Divine Dogbeda Azumah
This study comparatively assessed the technical and economic performance of two RAS designs for the culture of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus). A total of 1000 Catfish fingerlings each were stocked in circular tarpaulin lined ponds installed with respective RAS designs (old and new). Data on fish growth and pond water quality were collected on bi-weekly and weekly basis, respectively. Pond water pH, temperature, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) were 6.30° C-6.60° C, 30.0° C-30.1° C, 144.1 mg/L-192.4 mg/L and 6.23 mg/L-6.47 mg/L for old and new RAS design, respectively. The new RAS design offered significantly favorable conditions than the old design, though both were within acceptable limits. Fish weight and length gain generally increased with increasing growth period (0-20 weeks) ranging from 4.85 g-687.45 g and 1.72 cm-35.21 cm, and 8.17 g.. Read More»