LAUSR

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal stocking density, effects of tubifex (Tubifex tubifex) feeding and monosex culture on growth performance of guppy (Poecilia reticulata) in a recirculation system. Three separate experiments were conducted in 200-L cylindrical fiberglass tanks, at 1.5/h water turnover rate at 26 °C water temperature. In Experiment 1, the fish (2.71 cm and 0.21 g) reached 4.56–4.99 cm length and 1.28–1.83 g weight at the at end of the culture period of 100 days in four stocking densities (1, 2, 3 and 4 fish/L), and 3 fish/L was found to be the optimal density under the present experimental conditions. In Experiment 2, the fish (2.68 cm and 0.20 g) were fed four different tubifex feeding frequencies (0, 1, 2 and 3 days/week) during a rearing period of 80 days. The growth of fish was increased (4.25–4.47 cm and 0.96–1.26 g) depending on the feeding frequency of tubifex, and the best growth was obtained in 3 days/week tubifex feeding (P