Abstract
The effect of artiAcial feed plus inorganic fertilizer on the growth performance of 3 major carps, viz: Carla calla, La boo rohita and Cirrhina mfigala was determined for the period of nine months, using 2 ponds one as control, while the other as treated, Fertilization was done by single superphosphate at the rate of 100grn per month and artificial feed with 29,21% protein in the form of pellets was added at the rate of TX of wet fish body weight daily in the treated pond. Statistical analysis showed that artificial feeding plus fertiliza-tion of pond exerted highly significant effect on the weight gains in ell the 3 fish species. Similar trends were observed in the feed con-version efficiency. However, some differences in the &gm: of significance in fork length and total length were noticed. The total production of all the 3 fish specieslacrelyear in the control and treated ponds was computed to be 624.1,4 kg and 1573,66 kg, res-pectively.
INTRODUCTION •
Adequate supplies of quality foods is essential for human population of rapidly developing countries, like Pakistan. As far the vegetable part of dietary, it may be considered self sufficient but the protein in general and those of ani-mals in particular for human consumption are lacking very much. To meet the exaggerated demands it has become possible through only aquatic resources that have so far been left unexplored fully. In Punjab the major carps present a good future. The have potentiale to grow faster in katcha ponds and thus proper management can make its production effi-c-ient and economical,. It is possibla to increase the yield of such fishes/acre/year. As an emergency mea-sure fish rearing in the country under such condition is very practical step and before embarking upon a country wide programme, some projects are pertinent to establish basic data.
