• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.144-148
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• 1999

This study was conducted to test actual oxygen consumption rates of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at a commercial scale high density culture tank in the recirculating culture system, with a special emphasis on the oxygen consumption rate of this species with different daily feeding frequencies. Nile tilapia, an average of 400 g and a total wright of 390 kg, were stocked in a circular concrete tank of 2.9 m in diameter and 0.8 m in depth, in a recirculating culture system. The fish were fed commercial diet 1, 2, 5, and 9 times per day between 09:00 h and 19:00 h. feed was evenly supplied where the fish were fed more than once a day. Dissolved oxygen of influent and effluent water was monitored every 50 seconds by a computer with electrodes for 24 hours. The standard metabolic rate of tilapia was $39.31{\pm}4.4mg\;O_2/kg$ fish/hr in the present study. The maximum oxygen consumption was reached between 30 to 50 minutes after feeding. The maximum oxygen consumption levels of 1, 2, 5, and 9 feeding times per day were 161.2, 123.4, 111.1 and 111.1 mg $O_2/kg$ fish/hr, respectively. While the mean oxygen consumption levels of 1, 2, 5, and 9 feeding times per day were $79.9{\pm}21.5,\;81.3{\pm}14.8,\;84.2{\pm}9,9$ and $98,9{\pm}11.0mg\;O_2/kg$ fish/hr, respectively. These results show that oxygen consumption rates are not much different between the feeding frequencies. These results could be used to design to provide desirable oxygen supply system in the recirculating high-density tilapia culture system.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.20.1-20.8
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• 2019

Background: Despite the favorable geo-climatic potential of Cameroon, the national production of tilapia remains low due to poor tilapia growth reported by fish farmers. One of the underlying reasons is the early female maturation at a very small size and precocious breeding in earthen ponds, resulting in overpopulation which leads to stunted growth and therefore to the production of unmarketable fish size. Studies have shown that dietary supplementation of G. kola enhanced growth in young Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus. It was also reported that G. kola inhibited spawning in Tilapia adult females. Therefore, this study sought to assess the effects of Garcinia kola as growth promoter and inhibitor of gonadal development in young Oreochromis niloticus. Methods: A total of 108 juveniles weighing $13.32{\pm}0.62g$ were randomly distributed in 9 hapas of 12 fishes each (9 females and 3 males) and fed for 70 days with three isonitrogenous diets, 40% crude protein with increasing Garcinia kola supplementation levels of 0 (normal diet), 6% and 10% (experimental diets). Physico-chemical parameters of the water (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and transparency) were measured twice a week. Every 14 days, fish were harvested, counted, and weighed. At the end of the experiment, three fish of each sex per replicate were sacrificed and their gonad and liver collected and weighed. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance repeated measure followed by Newman-Keuls multiple tests. Results: The results showed that all physico-chemical parameters of the water were within the recommended values for Tilapia culture. Tilapia fed 6% Garcinia kola supplemented diet displayed higher final body weight in males ($38.60{\pm}3.50g$) and females ($36.77{\pm}3.62g$) compared to those receiving normal diet ($36.23{\pm}1.36g$ and $25.87{\pm}3.32g$; respectively to the final body weight in males and females). The gonadosomatic index and hepatosomatic index indicated no significant variation in males while in females, these were significantly low in the experimental fish compared to control fish. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that supplementation of G. kola seeds in diets of young Tilapia improved growth performance and impaired gonadal development in females.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2005

We evaluated the effects of different feeding strategies on the growth of young Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L., in a freshwater recirculating system during summer. Each of twenty fish (Mean body weight$\pm$ SD; 37. 7$\pm$0.10 g) were randomly distributed into each of 24 tanks. Eight treatments were prepared in triplicate. Control fish were hand-fed commercial feed twice daily without starvation. The other seven treatments employed different feeding and starvation strategies ranging from I day starved and 1 day fed (1DS+ 1DF) to 7 days starved to 7 days fed (7DS+7DF). All fish survived to the end of the 44-day feeding trial. The amount of food supplied was highest for the control fish in the control. Food supplied to fish in the 3DS+3DF and 4DS+4DF treatments was significantly lower than that of fish in the 1DS+1DF and 2DS+2DF treatments, but significantly higher than that of fish in the 5DS+5DF, 6DS+6DF and 7DS+7DF treatments. The weight gain of control fish was significantly higher than that of fish in other treatments. Feed efficiency ratio (FER) for fish in the 7DS+7DF treatment was significantly higher than that of fish in the control group, but it did not differ from that of fish in the 1DS+1DF and 2DS+2DF treatments. We concluded that young Nile tilapia raised with different starvation and feeding regimes during the summer in a freshwater recirculating system did not catch up in growth to fish fed daily. However, the enhanced FER of Nile tilapia in the 7DS+ 7DF, 2DS+ 2DF, and 1 DS+ I DF treatments partly explains the compensatory growth of the fish, although their weight gain was relatively low.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 1994

We have prepared cDNA libray of loach. M. mizolepis in order to isolate cDNA clone of growth hormone gene. Total RNA was isolated from pituitary of loach, and then mRNA was further purified from total RNA by oligo (dT)-coupled magnetic beads. The purified mRNA was used as substrates to prepare cDNA. The resulting cDNA was ligated into the EcoRV/Smal site of pBlueKS+. The ligation mixture have transformed E. coli JM109 strain with electroporator to obtain high yield of transformation efficiency. All the transformants was screened with DIG-labeled Tilapia growth hormone gene by high density colony hybridization. After isolating 10 putative colonies showing the positive signals, secondary colony hybridization and southern hybridization could confirm it as true clones. The nucleotide sequence of one candidate, pCGHI, was compared with 312 bp DNA fragment used as DNA probe and show 52% relative homology to Tilapia growth hormone gene.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 1999

Changes of oxygen consumption of Nile tilapia in relation to different body sizes(average body weight 4 g, 40 g, 120 g and 400 g) and water temperatures ($20^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$) were investigated by a continuous oxygen monitoring system. Mean oxygen consumption of 4 g, 40 g, 120 g and 400 g Nile tilapia at $20^{\circ}C$ were 318.8, 214.9, 84.1 and 69.4 mg $O_2$/kg fish/hr and that at $25^{\circ}C$ were 435.2, 345.9, 151.5 and 115.9 mg $O_2$/kg fish/hr, and that at $30^{\circ}C$ were 611.1, 538.4, 320.8, and 236.0 mg $O_2$/kg fish/hr, respectively. Oxygen consumption per unit body weight tended to decrease exponentially at all temperatures (P<0.05) as body weigth of the fish increased. Oxygen consumption of this fish at $25^{\circ}C$ was $1.61\pm0.18$ times higher than that at $20^{\circ}C$ and oxygen consumption at $30^{\circ}C$ was $1.53\pm0.27$ times higher than that at $25^{\circ}C$. Oxygen consumption per unit body weight linearly increased with the water temperature increased. Also, oxygen consumption of this fish during day time was higher than that during night time at 12L:12D day light condition. The differences between maximum and minimum daily oxygen consumption of this fish increased with the water temperature increased.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2006

Sex of the Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus is mainly determined by an XX/XY system. However, accumulating evidences suggest the existence of additional sex modifying factors including environmental, autosomal and parental influences. In order to investigate the possibility of parental effects on sex ratios of tilapia progenies, in this study, a series of crosses was carried out using gynogenetic clonal fish, neomales, normal males and females, and YY fish. Crosses between clonal XX male and clonal female have yielded only female progenies and no parental influences were observed. However, in the crosses between clonal males and normal females, female parents were significantly associated with the progeny sex ratios ($X^2$=20.046, 7 d.f., p<0.01). Progeny sex ratios from the crosses between neomales and normal females ($X^2$=60.491, 5 d.f and $X^2$=28.072, 2 d.f.) also showed significant association with female parents (P<0.001). The stability of progeny sex ratios from repeated spawns were confirmed by using 6 different parental pairs. In 16 crosses between normal males and normal females, sex ratios of progenies showed clear maternal influences, and further analysis of the results revealed a negative correlation ($r^2$=0.7718, p<0.05) between the sex ratios of progenies from two different males, indicating a strong paternal influence. No statistically significant relationship between survival rates and sex ratios of progenies was observed in any genotypic groups. Taken together, the influence of parental pairs on progeny sex ratios in this species is evident although the cause of this influence is not clear.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

Kisspeptin has been implicated in the process of puberty onset in various animal groups. This peptide is encoded by a gene, Kiss1 in avian and mammalian species. Contrary to these higher vertebrates, however, fish appeared to have another gene, Kiss2 that also codes for the precursor peptide of kisspeptin. To figure out biological significance of this gene during the puberty onset in fish, the expression profile of Kiss2 gene was investigated in the brain of Nile tilapia together with genes of GPR54, GnRH receptorI (rGnRHI) and GTH subunits ($LH{\beta}$ and $FSH{\beta}$). Expression of Kiss2 mRNA significantly increased at 2 weeks post hatch (wph) and 13 wph ($P$<0.05). This increase coincided with the increases of GPR54 and rGnRH I gene expression. Detection of $LH{\beta}$ and $FSH{\beta}$ subunit gene expression was possible later than 13 wph, indicating the activation of gonadotrophs in the pituitary. Data obtained from this study strongly suggest that, in addition to Kiss1 gene, Kiss2 gene is deeply associated with the onset of puberty by the activation of hypothalamus pituitary gonadal axis in Nile tilapia.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.128-131
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• 2005

The effects of alternate-week feeding strategies on growth and feed efficiency ratio of juvenile Nile tilapia were investigated in a recirculating aquaculture system. Twenty fish initially weighing 25.5 g were randomly distributed into each of 18 tanks to conduct three replicates for each of six different feeding strategies. Weight gain of fish in the control that were fed daily for 6-week feeding trial was significantly higher than those of fish subjected to various alternate-week feeding regimes. Weight gain of fish that were starved for 3 weeks and then fed daily for 3 weeks (3WS+3WF) was not significantly different from that of fish, starved and fed daily for alternate 1-week period during the trial (1WS+1WF), but was significantly higher than those of fish starved for 2 weeks, and fed for 2 weeks (2WS+2WF); fish starved for 4 weeks and fed for 2 weeks (4WS+2WF); and fish fed for 5 weeks and fed for 1 week (5WS+1WF.) The amount of feed supplied to fish in the groups of 1WS+1WF and 3WS+3WF was significantly lower than that fed to fish in the control group, but significantly higher than the amount feed supplied to fish in the other three groups. Feed efficiency ratio for fish in the control group did not differ from that for fish in the groups of 1WS+1WF, 2WS+2WF and 3WS+3WF, but was significantly higher than that for fish in the groups of 4WS+2WF and 5WS+1WF. In conclusion, juvenile Nile tilapia that were subject to starvation for 1 to 5 weeks did not exhibit compensatory growth sufficient to attain the same weight as fish fed daily for 6 weeks. In addition, fish subjected to starvation exhibited low feed efficiency ratio compared to fish fed daily, which were probably attributable to poor weight gain.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2020

Kisspeptin, expressed mainly in the hypothalamus, stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons to facilitate reproduction. In some model animals, the kisspeptin is also expressed in the pituitary. Recently, a pathway has been suggested in which kisspeptin acts directly on the pituitary to secretion of gonadotropin in mammals. In the present study, pituitaries of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were cultured at different concentrations of kisspeptin-10 (Kp-10, FNYNPLSLRF) for 3 hours to observe the effect of kisspeptin on the expression of follicle-stimulating hormone β subunit (fshβ) gene and luteinizing hormone β subunit (lhβ) gene. Pituitary tissues were cultured with 0.1 μM of Kp-10, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), or LHRH+Kp-10 for 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours to investigate changes in the expression of fshβ and lhβ mRNA. Pituitaries cultured with high concentration of Kp-10 more than 0.1 μM for 3 hours exhibited a significant increase of fshβ mRNA expression, but not lhβ mRNA. The expression of both fshβ and lhβ mRNA increased after 6 hours in 0.1 μM of Kp-10 medium in comparison with that in the control medium. Tissues cultured in the LHRH medium however exhibited increased expression of both genes not only at 6 but also 12 hours. There were no significant differences of fshβ and lhβ gene expression in tissues cultured with LHRH+KP-10 medium compared with the control. These results suggested that although kisspeptin plays an important role in fshβ and lhβ expression in the pituitary of Nile tilapia, its action is far more complicated than expected.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2012

We investigated compensatory growth of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in structural size and live weight in response to different deprivation periods and refeeding. Four treatments were assigned randomly to fish in 12 glass tanks, with each treatment performed in triplicate. The control group was fed to satiation three times a day throughout the experiment. The other three treatment groups were starved for 1 week (S1), 2 weeks (S2), or 4 weeks (S4) and then fed until the end of the experiment. After the experiment, no significant differences were observed among S1, S2, and the control group in average weight or length, whereas the weight and length of S4 were significantly reduced. Relative condition factors of the three starved groups decreased significantly until the end of the restricted period but recovered rapidly after refeeding. The specific growth rate in weight ($SGR_W$) of the three restricted groups recovered quickly upon refeeding and were significantly higher than the control group, but these differences disappeared gradually until the end of the experiment. No significant difference in specific growth rate in length ($SGR_L$) was noted between the control group and the three restricted groups after refeeding. All three groups showed hyperphagia for a short period upon refeeding, and no statistical differences were observed in feeding efficiency among the four groups.