Integrated multitrophic aquaculture of sandfish (Holothuria scabra) with marine water acclimatized Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and oyster (Sacostrea cucullata) for increased production in Kenya

This study compared the growth performance, production, and quality of culture environment of integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems with different species combinations in earthen ponds. The experiment was designed to assess the viability of using marine water acclimatized Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as the fed component of the IMTA system in combination with sea cucumbers (Holothuria scabra) and Oysters (Sacostrea cucullata) as extractive species. The control (C) experiment and had a monoculture of O. niloticus. Treatment 1 (T1) had a combination of O. niloticus and H. scabra. Treatment 2 (T2) had a combination of O. niloticus, H. scabra and S. cucullata and Treatment 3 (T3) had a combination of O. niloticus and S. cucullata. Stocking was 2 ind./m², 1.9 ind./m² and 2.1 ind./m² for tilapia, sea cucumber and oysters respectively and replicated in all the treatments. During the 150 days culture period, S. cucullata attained weight gain of 26.55 ± 0.26 g and 23.74 ± 2.6 g in T2 and T3 respectively. Weight gain of H. scabra in T1 and T2 was 146.7 ± 6 g and 153.39 ± 2.04 g respectively. The final average body weight (ABW) of the fed species O. niloticus was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in T2 at 218.82 ± 1.55 which had all the three species combinations. The findings of the study show that the IMTA that had a combination of all three species outperformed those that had two species.