Journal of Primeasia
Integrative Disciplinary Research | Online ISSN 3064-9870 | Print ISSN 3069-4353
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Volume 7 Number 1 2026
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Mechanical Aeration Shifts the Optimal Stocking Density and Enhances Growth, Production, and Profitability of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Semi-Intensive Pond Culture
Hasanuzzaman 1*, Md Delwer Hossain1, Sk. Ahmad Al Nahid2, Saifuddin Rana2, Mohammad Shakil Khan2, Md Nazmul Haque3, Aung Tun Aye4, Md. Hemayatul Islam5
Journal of Primeasia 7 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/primeasia.7110822
Submitted: 06 April 2026 Revised: 17 June 2026 Accepted: 24 June 2026 Published: 26 June 2026
Abstract
Background: Feeding a growing world through pond aquaculture demands smarter intensification — not simply crowding more fish into the same water. In Bangladesh, semi-intensive Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) farming has expanded rapidly, yet the interaction between mechanical aeration and stocking density under commercial pond conditions remains poorly understood. This study investigated whether supplemental aeration could genuinely offset the biological penalties that accompany higher stocking densities, or whether its benefits plateau well before they become economically meaningful.
Method: A completely randomized factorial design was employed across 24 commercial earthen ponds over a 243-day production cycle, testing two aeration conditions (aerated and non-aerated) against four stocking densities: 200, 230, 260, and 300 fish decimal?¹, each replicated three times. Growth performance, survival, biomass production, and economic return were assessed and analyzed using two-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post hoc comparisons.
Results: The results told a compelling story. Under non-aerated conditions, growth and survival declined progressively and sharply as density increased, suggesting the ponds' natural carrying capacity was easily overwhelmed. Aeration changed this dynamic fundamentally — maintaining stable growth and survival up to 260 fish decimal?¹, where peak production reached 173.79 ± 4.40 kg decimal?¹ alongside the highest benefit-cost ratio. The interaction effect between aeration and stocking density was highly significant (p < 0.001) across all major parameters.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that aeration does not merely improve fish performance — it restructures the density-productivity relationship itself, offering Bangladeshi tilapia farmers a practical, evidence-based pathway toward more intensive yet economically viable pond culture.
Keywords: Nile tilapia; mechanical aeration; stocking density; semi-intensive aquaculture; growth performance; production yield; economic analysis.
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