O. Altan - Departmentof Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University Bornova –Izmir, Turkey

In this study, ۵۰ ۰۰۰ European seabass and ۵۰ ۰۰۰ gilthead seabream with an average wet weight of ۱.۶ g were cultivated during ۶۰۰ days under low water salinity conditions (۷‰) of which getting out from underground at fixed ۱۹°C, being produced in earthen ponds under commercial production conditions. From the beginning to the end of the experiment, the same fish feeds were used for both species throughout the study, and when European seabass reached ۳۲۸.۴±۲۲.۹۸ g, gilthead seabream reached to ۳۶۹.۱۲±۲۴.۱۱ g. At the end of the experiment, while the feed conversion rate (FCR) was calculated as ۱.۷۲±۰.۰۶ for European sea bass, it was calculated ۱.۵۳±۰.۰۳ for gilthead sea bream. Protein efficiency ratios were ۱.۲۴±۰.۱۷ for European seabass, and ۱.۴۰±۰.۰۶ for gilthead seabream. Significant differences were found between two species in terms of live weight and FCR (p<۰.۰۵), while no difference was found related to the specific growth rate (p>۰.۰۵). The results showed that gilthead seabream taken into earthen ponds and low salinity brackish water was able to reach ۳۰۰ g and over live weight with faster and lower FCR values compared to European sea bass in the certain time.    

Gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata, European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, Earthen ponds, Brackish water, Low salinity.