Influence of Feeding Regimes on Survival, Growth Performance and Production Efficiency of Indian Major Carps Under Semi-Intensive Polyculture System

This study evaluated the effect of different feeding regimes on survival, growth, and production performance of Indian major carps (Labeo catla, Labeo rohita, and Cirrhinus mrigala) in a semi-intensive polyculture system. Fingerlings were stocked in 80 m² cemented outdoor tanks at the rate of 1 fish m^-2. The experiment was conducted by following a Completely Randomised Design: FR1 (control) with dough feed twice daily at the rate of 2% body weight; FR2, FR3, FR4, and FR5 with pelleted feed @ 2% twice daily, 2% thrice daily, 3% twice daily, and 3% thrice daily, respectively. The water quality parameters remained within optimal throughout the study. FR5 exhibited the highest survival (91.43%), followed by FR4, FR2 and FR3. Maximum net weight gain and specific growth rate were observed in FR5 for catla (33.96 g; 2.28%), followed by rohu (24.70 g; 1.67%). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) improved significantly in FR2 and FR3, whereas net fish biomass production was significantly higher in FR3, FR4, and FR5. From the results, we concluded that pelleted feed administered at 2% body weight thrice daily (FR3) represents the optimal feeding strategy for maximising growth performance and production efficiency in semi-intensive carp polyculture systems, balancing both growth outcomes and feed utilisation efficiency.