Zooplankton feeding in the fish Trichogaster pectoralis Regan

The traditional culture method of Trichogaster pectoralis, using zooplankton produced from fermenting aquatic weeds as a source of food for the fry, leads to productions of ca 1 000 kg ha^–1 a^–1. If chicken manure is applied at a rate of ca 450 kg ha^–1 month^–1 instead, much more zooplankton is produced more rapidly, and fish production increases to ca 2 000 kg ha^–1 a^–1. This results from a higher survival rate of the fry, which feeds on rotifers, ciliates, copepods and cladocera until a size of ca 15.0 mm, when plant material also becomes important in the diet.