Evaluation of Growth, Survival, and Production of an Endangered Fish,Labeo gonius(Hamilton) Fingerlings in Earthen Nursery Ponds

Nursery rearing of an endangered fish, Labeo gonius (Ham.) was studied in relation to varying stocking densities in earthen ponds. The experiment was conducted for 8 weeks in nine nursery ponds having an area of 0.012 ha with an average depth of 1 m. Four-day-old hatchling stocked at 0.6 million/ha was designated as treatment-1 (T1), 0.8 million/ha as treatment-2 (T2) and 1.0 million/ha as treatment-3 (T3), respectively. At stocking, all hatchlings were of same age group with a mean length and weight of 0.66 ± 0.08 cm and 0.001 ± 0.0001 g, respectively. Hatchlings in all the experimental ponds were given wheat flour for the first 7 days, finely ground mustard oilcake for the next 7 days and a mixture of rice bran, and mustard oilcake (1:1) for days 15 to 56. The rate of feeding was 20 kg/million hatchling/day for the first two weeks, 25 kg for the second two weeks, 30 kg for the third two weeks and 35 kg for the fourth two weeks. The physicochemical parameters of water and plankton were monitored...