Twenty four earthen ponds of different areas (500,1000,1500 and 2000 m²
area and 1 m depth) were used for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) production.
Tilapia fingerlings (about 26g initial body weight! fish) were stocked at 5,10 and 15
fish/m²in each earthen pond area and reared for 210 days. Fish in each pond was fed
on a commercial complete diet containing 30% crude protein, 2 times daily at feeding
rates of 6,5,4,3 and 2.5% of fish biomass during t", 2^nd,3^rd and 4th and thereafter
months respectively. The obtained results showed that growth performance, survival rate and total
yield/feddan significantly (P<0.05) decreased with increasing pond area from 500 m²
to 2000 m². Under each tested pond area, it was noted a significant (P<0.05)
decrease in growth performance and survival rate due to the increase in the stocking
density from 5 to 15 fish/m2. Fish yield/feddan increased significantly (P<0.05) with
increasing the stocking density from 5 to 15 fish/m2. Feed and protein utilization improved with fish reared in small pond area
(500m2) than larger pond areas(1000,1500 and 2000 m²). Also, increasing the
stocking density from 5 to 15 fishlm2 resulted in lower feed and protein utilization by
tilapia fingerlings. Economical evaluation of the obtained results showed that the small pond area
(500m2) with high stocking rate 15 fish/m² achieved higher income (101430 LEI
feddan) and higher profit (19044 LE/feddan). However, the economic evaluation
results showed that the optimum economical condition among the 12 tested
treatments was the 2^nd treatment (500m² pond and 10 fish/m²). From the above mentained results it could be concluded that small earthen
pond ares (500m²) and high stocking density (15 fish/m2) with O. niloticus fingerlings
are recommended for higher yield and income. Nevertheless, the % income Icost was
infavour of 10 fish 1m2 along with 500 m² ponds.