EJPAU 2006. Szczepkowski M. , Szczepkowska B. EFFECTS OF THE POLYCULTURE OF JUVENILE STAGES OF NORTHERN PIKE (<I>ESOX LUCIUS</I> L.) AND STURGEON IN RECIRCULATING SYSTEMS

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2006
Volume 9
Issue 1

Topic:

Fisheries

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Szczepkowski M. , Szczepkowska B. 2006. EFFECTS OF THE POLYCULTURE OF JUVENILE STAGES OF NORTHERN PIKE (ESOX LUCIUS L.) AND STURGEON IN RECIRCULATING SYSTEMS, EJPAU 9(1), #25.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue1/abs-25.html

EFFECTS OF THE POLYCULTURE OF JUVENILE STAGES OF NORTHERN PIKE (ESOX LUCIUS L.) AND STURGEON IN RECIRCULATING SYSTEMS

Mirosław Szczepkowski, Bożena Szczepkowska
Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Poland

ABSTRACT

The possibility of using sturgeon as a stock component during the rearing of pike (Esox lucius L.) fry in tanks was determined. The experiment was conducted in two stages. In the first, pike fry with a body weight of 0.1 g were reared in monoculture and polyculture with a sturgeon component comprising 40 and 80% of the pike biomass. In the second phase, pike fry weighing an average of 3 g were reared in monoculture and polyculture with a sturgeon component comprising 10 and 20% of the pike biomass. The introduction of the sturgeon improved feed utilization and lowered feed conversion ratios from 1.4 to 0.8 in the older pike group (statistically significant difference at P < 0.05). In experiment stage II, the pike fry reared in polyculture with sturgeon attained statistically significant (P < 0.05) higher body growth in comparison with the monoculture variant. Pike survival was the lowest in the monoculture at 72.1 and 91.4% in stages I and II of the experiment, respectively. With regard to the smaller fry, this was due primarily to cannibalism with such losses comprising over 50% of the total losses throughout rearing. Survival in the polycultures was as much as 12% higher. The authors believe that the possibility of rearing these two species together stems from their different behavior and feeding strategy. Another benefit was that the labor-intensive removal of feed not consumed by the pike fry was lowered which meant that there was minimal interference in the tank during rearing.

Key words: pike, polyculture, recirculating systems, sturgeon.

Mirosław Szczepkowski
Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Poland
“Dgał” Experimental Hatchery in Pieczarki
Pieczarki 50, 11-610 Pozezdrze, Poland
phone: +48 87 428 36 66
email: szczepkowski@infish.com.pl

Bożena Szczepkowska
Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Poland
“Dgał” Experimental Hatchery in Pieczarki
Pieczarki 50, 11-610 Pozezdrze, Poland
phone: +48 87 428 36 66

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