Comparisons of Two By-Products and a Prepared Diet as Organic Fertilizers on Growth and Survival of Larval Paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, in Earthen Ponds

ABSTRACT. Two agro-industrial by-products, rice bran (RB) and distillers dried solubles (DS), and a prepared diet (PD) were eva­ luated as organic fertilizers for the production of juvenile paddlefish in nine 0.02-ha earthen ponds over a 40-day culture period. Paddle­ fish yield from ponds fertilized with RB (209 kg/ha) was significantly greater (P ^ 0.05) than that from ponds fertilized with DS (129 kg/ha), but it was not significantly greater than yields from ponds fertilized with PD (258 kg/ha). Fish survival from ponds fertilized with PD (79%) was significantly higher than from ponds fertilized with RB (55%) or DS (50%). There was no significant difference in

Steven D. Mims and Julia A. Clark, Aquaculture Research Center, Community Research Service, Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY 40601, USA.