Production of hatchery-bred early juvenile milkfish (Chanos chanos) in nursery ponds through supplemental feeding

Hatchery-bred early juvenile Milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskål, 1755) (average weight of 0.45 g) were stocked in a 500 m2 nursery pond at a density of 16 juveniles/m2 during the dry months (March-May). The early juveniles were reared for two months with natural food followed by supplemental feeding. Upon the harvest the fish reached an average weight of 9.30 g and a survival rate of 86.9%. A feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.08 was attained, with specific growth rate (SGR) of 4.96%/day. The high survival rate and good production could be attributed to the time of the year when the nursery production trial was conducted. The nursery of milkfish in ponds during the summer months ensures sufficient supply of natural food and stable water quality during the crucial phase in the nursery production. This strategy of rearing early juveniles (<1 g) of milkfish in nursery ponds at high stocking densities using a combination of natural food and supplemental feeding could be one of the alternative approaches in the nursery production of this fish.