Preliminary Studies on Stocking Density and Production of Hamoor Epinephelus tauvina in PVC‐Lined Raceways

The results of two stocking density trials on the nursery and grow‐out stages of Epinephelus tauvina (Family: Serranidae), in PVC‐lined raceways are presented. At the nursery stage, fry of 17.1 g initial mean weight showed no significant differences in growth rate, survival rate and condition factor when stocked at densities of 200 and 400 fish/m 3 over a period of 52 days. Fish grew to mean weights of 61.7 and 63.7 g, giving growth rates of 0.86 and 0.90 g/fish/day and final biomasses of 12.1 and 2S.2 kg/m 3 for densities of 200 and 400 fish/m 3 , respectively. Survival rates were excellent for both treatments at 98percnt; or greater. Food conversion efficiency was slightly improved at the higher density. At the grow‐out stage, E. tauvina of mean weights ranging from 150‐170 g cultured for a period of 215 days grew better at a density of 5 fish/m 3 than at densities of 20 and 60 fish/m 3 (final size: 770, 560 and 450 g with growth rates of 2.8, 1.8 and 1.4 g/fish/day, respectively). Survival rates were higher at the two lower densities. Overall, total biomass increased with stocking density (3.9, 11.1 and 23.4 kg/m 3 , for 5, 20 and 60 fish/m 3 , respectively). These results indicate that hamoor has potential to be successfully cultured in raceways.