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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #279304
Title: Effects of DO cencentration on growth of juvenile channel catfish

Author
item Ott, Brian
item Torrans, Eugene

Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2011
Publication Date: 2/28/2012
Citation: Ott, B.D., Torrans, E.L. 2012. Effects of DO cencentration on growth of juvenile channel catfish. Aquaculture America Conference. P.347.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration has a major impact on feed consumption of channel catfish when raised in ponds; as DO concentration falls below 3.0 mg/L at night, feed consumption is negatively impacted. Channel catfish fry may experience a wide range of oxygen conditions in the hatchery depending on management practices. As there is interest in growing fry to a larger size (1.5”) before stocking in ponds, we measured the effect of DO concentration on growth of juvenile (2-8, 10-16, 15-21, and 53-54 day old) channel catfish. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were maintained at 90% saturation (high oxygen) or 50% saturation (low oxygen) in replicate aquaria. Fish were fed to excess six times daily (2, 10, and 15 day-old fish) or three times daily to satiation (53 day-old fish) for five days. Growth (% gain) was significantly higher for the older fish in the high oxygen treatment (34.0 ± 1.0%) than the low oxygen treatment (27.7 ± 1.5%, Figure 1). However, fish growth in all of the younger age groups was similar between treatments (Figure 1). It does appear that the older and larger fish require a higher DO concentration for maximum growth than their younger and smaller counterparts; however catfish fry up to 15-21 days post swim-up (approximately 0.75” long) do not require DO higher than 50% air saturation.