EFFECT OF STOCKING DENSITY ON THE NURSING EFFICIENCY OF YELLOWFIN SEABREAM (Acanthopagrus latus) DURING SEED STAGE

Abstract

Yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) is a highly valuable economic species widely cultured in brackish water regions of Northern Vietnam. However, the supply of juveniles primarily relies on wild catching exploitation. The study evaluated the effects of different yellowfin seabream stocking densities (50, 100 and 150 fish/m³) on the growth rate, survival rate, uniformity and food consumption coefficient of fingerlings from 3 - 4 cm to 6 cm. The experiment was set up in nine net cages (3 m x 2 m x 1.5 m) placed in a 2,000 m² pond covered with shading nets. There were three replicates for each treatment, and the rearing period was 45 days. Fish were fed with commercial feed (Inve G12) at 8% of their body weight per day, with periodic vitamin C supplementation (one time/week with 250 mg/kg of feed) to enhance disease resistance. The results showed that stocking density significantly affected the growth performance, survival rate, and size uniformity of the fish. A stocking density of 100 individuals/m³ yielded optimal growth performance and survival rates. In contrast, the density of 150 individuals/m³ resulted in the lowest performance. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) tended to increase at the highest density, reaching 1.78. This study provides important scientific evidence for determining appropriate stocking densities, contributing to improved production efficiency and the sustainable development of yellowfin seabream aquaculture in Vietnam.