An experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of feeding
frequency (two and three times ) and two feed forms ( pressed and extruded diets) on growth
performance, nutrients utilization and whole body composition of monosex Nile tilapia,
Oreochromis niloticus, fry during nursing period. Eight glass aquaria were used as culture units
.Two aquarium per treatment were used. 320 Nile tilapia fry were randomly distributed among 8
cages at the rate of 40 fry/ aquarium. A 2x2 factorial design, including two feeding frequencies
(2 and 3 times per day) and two feed forms (extruded or pressed pellets) has been adopted.
Duplicate groups of Nile tilapia fry with an average initial weight of 0.20 g, were fed a 32%
protein diet, in extruded or pressed form, at a daily rate of 10% of the total fish biomass. Results
indicated that growth performance and feed utilization efficiency of Nile tilapia fry significantly
increased when they were fed on extruded pellets compared with the fry fed on pressed pellets.
The highest values were obtained when the extruded pellets diet was fed three times daily.
From the foregoing performance results, it could be concluded that the feeding Nile tilapia fry 3
times daily with extruded diet improved growth performance, feed utilization and whole body
chemical analysis.