Effects of Water Temperature on Sex Differentiation and Growth Parameters of the Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus, Peters, 1852)

Abstract

In this study, the effects of water temperature on growth, survival rate, gonad development andsex ratios of Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) were studied by applying differenttemperature applications (28, 30, 32, 34 and 36oC) for a single period of 40 days. At the end of thestudy, in the control group (28oC), the males proportion was 47.62%. In fishes reared at 30oC, average male ratio was found as 73.68%. The highest male proportion was obtained in the 36oC temperature group (86.67%). Growth performances, feed utilization and gonad development werefound to increase with elevating temperatures up to 34oC unlike the survival rate which has beenfound to fall with higher temperatures. In this study, sex differentiation rates differed significantlybetween all groups (p