Resumen

ANDRADE DE PASQUIER, Glenys; MENDEZ, Yaracelis  y  PERDOMO, Daniel Antonio. Experimental fattening of cachama (Colossoma macropomum) in the estacion local el Lago, Zulia state, Venezuela. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.2, pp.213-218. ISSN 0798-7269.

This study evaluated production, performance and food conversion of the cachama, Colossoma macropomum, fed with generic fish food under an intensive system. The study was performed in an 18.70 m² Australian tank at the Estación Local El Lago located in the western coast of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela. Fifty-three fingerlings averaging 3 g in weight and at a density of 2.83 fish/m² were sowed in the tank. At the end of seven months, the performance variables evaluated were final weight of 755.62 g; weight gain (WG): 752.62 g; daily weight gain (DWG): 3.53 g/day; specific growth rate (SGR): 2.60 g/day; food conversion (FC): 1.78; productivity (PRO): 2.14 kg/m² and condition factor (CF): 1. It can be concluded that close observation of individuals, a good water quality management, the natural food (fito and zooplankton) and the concentrated food made possible to obtain a commercial weight in a short time, with a low investment and a high productivity, thus demonstrating the technical and economic feasibility of breeding of this species in the region

Palabras clave : Colossoma; fattening; cachama; concentrate feed; behavior.