Evaluation of feeding response and growth performance of tilapia (Orechromis niloticus) that conditioned with color-assigned LED that associated with feeding and stressor

Abstract

Abstract Conditioning can be applied as a management tool to increase the efficiency of aquaculture production by training the fish to gather into a designated site for feeding or harvesting purposes and reducing stress from handling or other external stressors that can be found in the ambient environment. While the use of conditioning in aquaculture can be beneficial, there is limited information on the application of this technology in tilapia. Thus, this research was conducted to evaluate the use of different color lights as positive and negative conditioning on feeding response and growth performance of tilapia. Treatment that used in this research is using random light at a random location that was independent of the random feeding location (P1); using blue color at a random location adjacent to the feeding location (P2); using similar treatment with P2 but with the incorporation of conditioning in the form of stress; and control treatment without conditioning. As the result, there is no significant difference among treatments in growth performance and feed conversion, and the application of these conditionings affects tilapia’s feeding response. Treatment P2 produces an improved feeding response compared to other treatments and incorporation of stress into treatment such as in treatment P3 may curb this improvement.