Received: 09-02-2017 / Accepted: 11-02-2017
The study on co-culture of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and red seaweed (Gracilariasp.) with different feeding rates was conducted consisting of 4 treatments with 3 replicates. Fish was mono-cultured and fed at libitumas a control.In other three treatments, fishwere co-cultured with red seaweed and fed at 75%, 50%and 25% feed ration of the control. The experimental fish with mean weight of 4.65-4.69g were stocked at density of 250fish/m3 and at salinity of 10ppt. After 56 days of culture, the survival of fish was not affected by the feeding regimes, ranging from 95% to 100%.The growth rates of fish fed 75% satiation were not significantlydifferent(p>0.05) compared to those inthe control. Proximate composition of fish fillet (moisture, protein and ash) was similar among treatments while lipid level in the control was significantly higher than the 50% and 25% satiation feeding regimes.These results indicated that tilapia- red seaweed co-culture with feeding75% feed rationof the controlstill sustained normal growth performance of tilapia and reducedthe feed cost as well as maintained better water quality.