Vermicompost for fish pond: Impacts on water quality and the growth performance of Oreochromis niloticus and Anabas testudineus

Abstract

The study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness and impact of vermicompost on water quality parameters in fish ponds, alongside evaluating the growth performances of two fish species, Oreochromis niloticus and Anabas testudineus. The experiment involved four separate treatment groups, namely T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₄ (control), for a period of 120 days. Vermicompost was applied at a rate of 8000 kg/ha and was used only in treatment T₁. Throughout the experimental duration, notable distinctions (p<0.05) were observed between the water quality parameters, including total alkalinity (mg/L), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), ammonia-nitrogen (mg/L), NO₃-N (mg/L), and PO₄-P (mg/L), across the vermicompost treatment and other experimental groups. These parameters showed the optimal range for fish culture in the vermicompost-treated ponds. In addition, plankton abundance differed significantly (p<0.05) between treatments, with the highest mean value observed in vermicompost (T₁) ponds (52.50±3.54×10³ cells/L). Total fish production (2.19 ton/ha/120 days) was significantly higher in the vermicompost treatment than in the other treatments. This study showed that the use of vermicompost for fish pond fertilization, taking into account pond limnological conditions, provides a cost-effective and promising approach for the cultivation of Oreochromis niloticus and Anabas testudineus. This method can contribute to organic fish farming practices, appealing to consumers who value organic products.