Comparative Performance of Four Strains of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Brackish Water Ponds in Indonesia

Abstract Four selectively bred strains of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were evaluated for production in brackish water ponds in Indonesia. Survival to 124 days was relatively low for all four strains (39%–48%), and growth during the later stages of the trial was poor (SGR < 1.5 %/day) due to water quality deterioration in the pond. Although the ‘Red’ tilapia strain demonstrated the best production parameters, red-colored tilapia bring lower prices in both our test markets (South Sulawesi and Aceh provinces). Of the four strains, the genetically enhanced supermale Indonesian tilapia × genetic improvement of farmed tilapia (GESIT×GIFT) cross provided the best economic return. Keywords: Tilapiabrackish watertraditionalIndonesia