Growth Performance of Asian Seabass (Lates calcarifer, Bloch) in Relation to Stocking Density: Initial Results From Seabass Culture in Open Sea Floating Net Cages in the Cox's Bazar Coast, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

The study aimed to assess the impact of stocking density on the growth performance, survival rate and production of seabass (Lates calcarifer) fingerlings in floating net cages conducted at the Maheshkhali Channel, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. A triplicate group of seabass, with an average initial weight of 86.82 ± 1.9 g, was randomly stocked in floating net cages at densities of 15, 12, 10 and 8 fish m⁻³, referred to as T₁₅, T₁₂, T₁₀ and T₈, respectively. The fish fingerlings were supplied with freshly chopped sardine (Sardinella fimbriata) at 10% of their body weight for 4 months and 5% for 2 months, administered twice daily. The water quality metrics were measured fortnightly. The initial and the final proximate composition of seabass was not significantly different (p > 0.05). Upon completion of the experiment on the 180th day, the growth performance and additional measures, including final body weight, weight gain (WG), percent weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed efficiency ratio (FER), survival rate and total production, were assessed. Comparisons of growth and yield demonstrated that fish stocking density significantly (p < 0.05) influenced growth and productivity. Fish cultivated at maximum density (T₁₅) exhibited lower mean weights than those raised at lower densities. This study demonstrated that T₁₀ had better results for all growth and other metrics examined, indicating the appropriateness of this density. Therefore, it may be inferred that seabass exhibits optimal growth at a stocking density of 10 fish m⁻³ along the coast of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.