Comparative Growth Performance of Genetically Male, SexReversed, and Mixed-Sex Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reared in Earthen Ponds in Sagana, Kenya

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) culture has been faced by challenges of prolific breeding and early maturity of mixed-sex tilapia that can be solved by the culture of all-male tilapia. A study was conducted to compare the growth performance, survival and condition factor of genetically male tilapia (GMT), sex-reversed tilapia (SRT) and mixed-sex tilapia (MST) cultured in earthen ponds. Fingerlings of initial weights ranging from 0.41 to 0.91 g for GMT, SRT and MST were stocked in 150 m2 earthen ponds in triplicates at 3 fish m-2 and fed on a 35% crude protein diet. After 180 days culture period, the final body weights of SRT (202.82±7.30 g) was significantly higher than GMT (174.34±3.71 g) and MST (148.06±4.60 g) (P<0.05). The survival of MST (74.11±4.73%) was higher than GMT (67.22±9.72%) and SRT (65.22±2.94%) but no significant differences were observed (P>0.05). The condition factor of all the fish was above 1 and was significantly different between the groups (P<0.05). This study demonstrates that SRT has superior growth performance than GMT and MST hence sex reversal should be used for improved Nile tilapia production.