USE OF Spirulina platensis AS FOOD SUPPLEMENT DURING NILE TILAPIA (CHITRALADA STRAIN) SEX REVERSAL IN SALT WATER

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the Spirulina platensis influence as a food supplement in Nile tilapia post-larvae grown in saline water. The experiment consisted of two treatments with three replicates. In first one the animals were fed ration containing the androgen 17 ? - methyltestosterone and S. platensis, and in the other only diet with the hormone. At the end of the reversal (28 days), tilapia that received S. platensis showed average weights of 1.17 ± 0.16 g, significantly superior to the animals fed only ration, which reached an average weight of 0.62 ± 0.38 g (P < 0.05); however, survival rates showed no significant difference (P < 0.05). At the end of the experiment (78 days), fish gonadal analysis showed indices of 47.5% of males for fish reared without microalgae and 59.09% for fish reared with S. platensis. It was conclude that Nile tilapia showed good growth and survival rate in the presence of S. platensis, compared to the fish fed only diet in saline water. However, it was not possible to obtain acceptable rates of sex reversal after the administration of masculinizing hormone through the diet.

KEYWORDS: Microalgae, Oreochromis, sexual reversion, salinity, 17?- metiltestosterona.