Effect of Greenhouse Cages Integrated with using Solar Energy on the Growth Performance on Freshwater Fish

Piyaphong Yongphet, Rameshprabu Ramaraj, Natthawud Dussadee

Currently, aquaculture based employment has been impact on fishery industry and gained awareness in worldwide. Northern parts of Thailand, cage fish farming are very important cultivation. It has contributed substantially to livelihoods, food demand, employment and income. Environmental factors are significant role in the fish culture especially, the temperature. It is fairly low in the Northern part of Thailand during in the winter, air temperature drops below 15 °C and difference between day and night about 15-20 °C. Generally, the appropriate and optimum temperature of fish culture was 28-32 °C. The average initial weight of fishes were 2.54±0.11 g at cultured for 120 days in 3 treatments, normal fish cage (T-A), greenhouse fish cage (T-B) and greenhouse fish cage was integrated with reduce heat loss system (T-C). The study investigation revealed that average water temperature and highest value were observed in treatments (T-C) (27.6 °C), followed by treatments (T-B) (26.7 °C) and treatments (T-A) (26.4 °C), respectively. After 120 days of culture, fishes in treatments (T-A) had significantly higher weight (121.35±5.33 g/fish) then treatments (T-B) (135.05±5.66 g/fish) and treatments (T-C) (143.87±5.07g/fish). Compared with treatment (T-C) with treatments (T-A) and (T-B) achieved more daily weight gain, equal to 16.1% and 6.8%, respectively. Also the specific growth rate was equal to 4.17% and 1.49%, respectively. Furthermore, the study focused on increasing and provides the optimum temperature using thermal performance of greenhouse fish cages integrated with hot air aerator through solar energy. In this study, Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) fish was used. The system was developed for heating the fish cages with solar energy by greenhouse cage design is equipped with insulation to reduce heat loss by used foam and covered with bamboo which is economically helpful for fish farmer. Consequently, the results confirmed that possible to apply and increase water temperature through greenhouse fish cage integrated with reducing heat loss system.