Research Article Open Access

Effects of Broken Rice Flour Feeding Strategies on Water Quality, Growth Performance and Production Costs of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) Reared in Fish Pens

Authors

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Gopéyué Maurice Yéo
iD 0000-0002-2256-6123
Department of Aquaculture, Center for Research of Oceanology, P.O. Box V 18, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
|
Simplice Paul Djeke
iD 0000-0002-2335-3824
Department of Aquaculture, Center for Research of Oceanology, P.O. Box V 18, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
|
Soumaïla Konaté
iD 0000-0002-3541-5850
Department of Aquaculture, Center for Research of Oceanology, P.O. Box V 18, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
|
Assoi Olivier Etchian
iD 0000-0003-4254-0753
Laboratory of Biology and Animal Cytology, Faculty of Natural Science, Nangui Abrogoua University, 02 P.O. Box 801, Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire
|
Mélécony Célestin Blé
iD 0000-0001-7531-2365
Department of Aquaculture, Center for Research of Oceanology, P.O. Box V 18, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Published on: August 22, 2026
DOI 10.66920/pjn.2026.43.49
PDF

Abstract

Background and Objective: The increasing cost of commercial aquafeeds has prompted fish farmers to incorporate agricultural by-products into fish diets as cost-effective alternatives. In Côte d'Ivoire, broken rice flour is among the most commonly used agricultural by-products in small-scale aquaculture. This study evaluated the effects of different feeding strategies incorporating broken rice flour on water quality, zootechnical performance, and the economic viability of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in fish pens.

Materials and Methods: A total of 240 Nile tilapia were reared in fish pens for 56 days under four feeding strategies: Commercial Feed (CF), Commercial Feed plus Broken Rice Flour (CFBR), Broken Rice Flour alone (BR) and a Double Ration of Broken Rice Flour (2BR). Water quality, growth performance, survival, feed utilization, and production costs were assessed throughout the experimental period.

Results: Dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 5.03-7.50 mg/L, with the lowest value recorded in the 2BR treatment. Despite this, the 2BR treatment achieved the highest survival rate (86.67%, p<0.05). Fish fed the CF diet exhibited the greatest weight gain (36.77 g), significantly exceeding those fed the CFBR (24.63 g), 2BR (25.63 g), and BR (16.80 g) diets. Voluntary feed intake (4.98-5.15% body weight/day) and condition factor values (K>1) indicated good diet acceptability and satisfactory physiological status of the fish across all treatments. Economic analysis showed that the production cost of the CFBR feeding strategy (1,788.7 XOF) was nearly twice that of the 2BR strategy (993 XOF), despite producing a comparable weight gain.

Conclusion: Feeding Nile tilapia with a double ration of broken rice flour (2BR) represents a technically and economically favorable strategy, providing the highest survival rate while substantially reducing production costs compared with feeding strategies incorporating commercial feed.

Keywords:

Aquafeeds, by-product, cichlidae, feed cost, fish diets, pond

Article Metrics

177 Abstract Views
133 File Views
0 Downloads

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Gopéyué Maurice Yéo, Simplice Paul Djeke, Soumaïla Konaté, Assoi Olivier Etchian, Mélécony Célestin Blé

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Article Citation Metrics

Find Effects of Broken Rice Flour Feeding Strategies on Water Quality, Growth Performance and Production Costs of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) Reared in Fish Pens on PlumX

How to Cite

yeo, maurice, Djeke, S. P., Konaté, S., Etchian, A. O., & Blé, M. C. (2026). Effects of Broken Rice Flour Feeding Strategies on Water Quality, Growth Performance and Production Costs of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) Reared in Fish Pens. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 25, 43–49. https://doi.org/10.66920/pjn.2026.43.49
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

1.
FAO, 2024. Résumé de la situation mondiale des pêches et de l’aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, Pages: 40. https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd0690fr
2.
FAO, 2026. La situation mondiale des pêches et de l’aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, Pages: 256. https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd8357fr
3.
MIRAH, 2024. Pêche et aquaculture. Ministère des Ressources Animales et Halieutiques. https://www.economie-ivoirienne.ci/activites-sectorielles/peche-et-aquaculture.html
4.
Tacon, A.G.J. and M. Metian, 2015. Feed matters: Satisfying the feed demand of aquaculture. Rev. Fisheries. Sci. Aquacult., 23: 1-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2014.987209
5.
Coulibaly, P.D., Y. Thimoté and N.D.V. Kouakou, 2025. The technical and socio-economic characteristics of fish farming in the departement of Sinfra (Central-West, Ivory Coast). Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci., 19: 266-276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v19i1.20
6.
Kimou, N.B., R.A. Koumi, M.K. Koffi, C.B. Atsé, I.N. Ouattara and P.L. Kouamé, 2016. Utilisation des sous-produits agroalimentaires dans l’alimentation des poissons d’élevage en Côte d’Ivoire. Cah. Agric., Vol. 25. 10.1051/cagri/2016012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/cagri/2016012
7.
Fakage, J.N., G.A. Lufungula and N.N. Utsudienyema, 2026. Pratiques et impact de la pisciculture sur les revenus et la sécurité alimentaire des ménages en milieu péri-urbain : cas de l’axe Mudaka - Kavumu en périphérie de la Ville de Bukavu en République démocratique du Congo. Afrique Sci., 28: 1-13.
8.
Konate, S., G.M. Yeo, T.F.G. Bi, N.I. Ouattara and M.C. Ble, 2024. Effets de trois sources alimentaires sur la qualité du milieu et les performances zootechniques du tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron (Rüppel, 1852) en étangs piscicoles (Côte d’Ivoire). Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci., 18: 581-592.
9.
Kavumbu, S.M., W.S. Lusasi, C.N. Yaga, C.K. Munganga, J.M. Tembeni and V.K. Pwema et al., 2026. Effect of organic fertilization using chicken manure on the diversity and abundance of algal flora in a fish pond in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rev. Congolaise Sci. Technol., 5: 770-781. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59228/rcst.026.v5.i2.284
10.
Konan, K.S., K.L. Kouassi, K.F. Konan, K.I. Kouame, K. AKA and D. Gnakri, 2013. Solid load estimating and hydrochemical characterization of the lake of the hydroelectric dam of Ayamé 1 (Ivory Coast). Bull. Inst. Sci., Rabat, Sect. Sci. Terre, 35: 17-25.
11.
Amon, Y.N., K. Yao, B.C. Atse and M. Ouattara, 2013. Survie et croissance des juvéniles hybrides issus du croisement intergénérique Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) et Sarotherodon melanotheron (Rüppel, 1852) en milieu lagunaire. Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci., 7: 1069-1077. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v7i3.14
12.
Boyd, C.E., 2018. Aquaculture pond fertilization. CABI Rev., 13: 1-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR201813002
13.
Jobling, M., 2026. A case study of source use by authors of aquaculture manuscripts. Aquacult. Int., Vol. 34. 10.1007/s10499-026-02527-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-026-02527-w
14.
Tran-Duy, A., J.W. Schrama, A.A.V. Dam and J.A.J. Verreth, 2008. Effects of oxygen concentration and body weight on maximum feed intake, growth and hematological parameters of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Aquaculture, 275: 152-162. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2007.12.024
15.
Amoussou, T.O., A. Toguyeni, I.I. Toko, A. Chikou and I.Y.A. Karim, 2017. Caractéristiques biologiques et zootechniques des tilapias africains Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) et Sarotherodon melanotheron Rüppell, 1852 : Une revue. Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci., 10: 1869-1887. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v10i4.35
16.
Bwanika, G.N., D.J. Murie and L.J. Chapman, 2007. Comparative age and growth of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) in lakes Nabugabo and Wamala, Uganda. Hydrobiologia, 589: 287-301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-0746-y
17.
Limbu, S.M., A.P. Shoko, H.A. Lamtane, M.A. Kishe-Machumu, M.C. Joram and Y.D. Mgaya et al., 2016. Fish polyculture system integrated with vegetable farming improves yield and economic benefits of small-scale farmers. Aquacult. Res., 48: 3631-3644. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/are.13188
18.
National Research Council, 2011. Nutrient requirements of fish and shrimp. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., ISBN: 0-309-47322-5, 978-0-309-47322-4. Pages:392.
19.
Liti, G., D.B.H. Barton and E.J. Louis, 2006. Sequence diversity, reproductive isolation and species concepts in saccharomyces. Genetics, 174: 839-850. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.106.062166
20.
Shiau, S.-Y. and Y.-H. Lin, 2002. Utilization of glucose and starch by the grouper Epinephelus malabaricus at 23°C. Fish. Sci., 68: 991-995. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1444-2906.2002.00523.x
21.
Opiyo, M.A., E. Marijani, P. Muendo, R. Odede, W. Leschen and H. Charo-Karisa, 2018. A review of aquaculture production and health management practices of farmed fish in Kenya. Int. J. Vet. Sci. Med., 6: 141-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijvsm.2018.07.001

Most read articles by the same author(s)