GROWOUT PERFORMANCE OF DIPLOID AND TRIPLOID CHINESE CATFISH CLARIAS-FUSCUS

Culture performance of diploid and triploid Chinese catfish Clarias fu scus was evaluated at two temperatures (21.5 and 25.0 degrees C), and with two feed formulations. New Age Pacific (NAP) feed (49% crude prot ein and 18% crude lipid) and Catfish No. 2 (C2) feed (36% crude protei n and 23% crude lipid) were provided once daily at 5% body weight. Aft er 175 days, triploid fish gained more weight than diploids. Both dipl oids and triploids grew faster at 25 degrees C than at 21.5 degrees C. At the lower temperature, C2 feed enhanced fish growth compared with NAP feed in both ploidies, while triploid fish gained more weight than diploids only with C2 feed. Male C. fuscus grew faster than females r egardless of ploidy. Neither fish survival nor condition factor differ ed among treatments, but the condition factor in diploid males was low er than others. If our results apply to commercial scale, culture of t riploids at temperatures > 25 degrees C could improve total yield and profitability. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.