This document evaluates four selectively-bred strains of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) for production in brackishwater ponds in Indonesia to provide alternative options for shrimp farmers. The trial found that while the red strain had the highest growth rates, its low market price resulted in lower economic returns compared to black tilapia strains, with the Gesit × Gift cross yielding the best economic returns. Overall, the study recommends farmers focus on cultivating the Gesit strain or its cross due to survival rates and water quality concerns affecting all strains.

1. PERFORMA EMPAT STRAIN NILA (Oreochromis niloticus) DI TAMBAK
PAYAU*
Nana S.S.U. Putraa, Imran Lapongb, Michael A. Rimmerb,c,*, Sugeng Raharjoa, Navneet K.
Dhandc
a. Balai Budidaya Air Payau, Takalar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
b. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Field Support Office, Jl. Urip
Sumohardjo No.20, Makassar, Sulawesi Sulawesi, Indonesia
c. Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570,
Australia
*Kegiatan Project ACIAR FIS/2007/124 Diversification of Smallholder Coastal Aquaculture In
Indonesia
Balai Budidaya Air payau Takalar Sulawesi Selatan 92254
Jl. Perikanan, Desa Mappakalompo, Kecamatan galesong, Kabupaten Takalar
E-Mail : nana_ssup@yahoo.com
Abstraks
Empat anakan strain nila yang terpilih (Oreochromis niloticus) dievaluasi untuk melihat
produksinya di tambak air payau dalam rangka menyediakan alternative produksi untuk
para pembudidaya udang di Indonesia. Strain yang digunakan dalam percobaan ini adalah
nila GIFT (Genetic Improvement of Farmed Tilapia), Nirwana, Merah, dan anakan hasil
persilangan GESIT(Genetically Enhanced Supermale Indonesian Tilapia) dan GIFT . Nila
dibudidayakan di dalam hapa pada tambak payau tradisional di Desa Salenrang,
Kecamatan Bontoa, Kabupaten Maros. Dua puluh empat hapa, masing-masing 4 m x 10 m,
diletakkan dalam 4 deretan, yang memungkinkan untuk rancangan acak kelompok. Dari
prespektif produksi, melalui analisis REML Strain Merah berperforma terbaik, dengan tingkat
pertumbuhan yang konsiten lebih tinggi dari ketiga strain lainnya (P<0,001), namun karena
harga nila merah rendah di kedua pasar uji (di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan dan Banda Aceh).
Nilai produksi nila merah lebih rendah dibandingkan nila hitam. Dari empat strain yang
diujikan strain hasil persilangan GESIT X GIFT memberikan keuntungan terbaik.
Kelangsungan hidup relative rendah untuk semua strain (39-48%) dan pertumbuhan pada
masa akhir pemeliharaan rendah (SGR <1,5% per hari), karena terjadi penurunan kualitas
air. Salinitas rendah (1 ppt) pada awal pemeliharaan,akan tetapi meningkat terus hingga 21
ppt di akhir pemeliharaan (125 hari). Berdasarkan hasil percobaan kami menyarankan
kepada seluruh pembudidaya untuk membudidayakan anakan hasil persilangan GESIT X
GIFT. Program pemuliaan nila yang toleran terhadap kadar garam terlalu focus pada nila
merah, dan itu mungkin tidak cocok untuk produksi tambak payau di Indonesia, karena nila
hitam lebih disukai pasar.
Key word : Nila Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, air payau

2. PERFORMANCE OF FOUR STRAINS OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus) IN
BRACKHISWATER PONDS
Abstract
Four selectively-bred strains of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were evaluated for
production in brackishwater ponds to provide an alternative production option for shrimp
farmers in Indonesia. The strains used in the trial were: Genetic Improvement of Farmed
Tilapia (GIFT), Nirwana, Red, and a Genetically Enhanced Supermale Indonesian Tilapia
(GESIT) × GIFT cross. Tilapia were cultured in hapa nets in a ‘traditional’ brackishwater
pond in Salenrang village, Bontoa sub-district, Maros district, South Sulawesi. Twenty-four
hapa nets, each 4 m × 10 m, were constructed in six rows of four hapas, allowing a
randomised block design. From a production perspective, the Red strain performed best, with
consistently higher growth rates than the other three strains throughout the trial (REML
analysis, P<0.001). However, because ‘red’ tilapia bring lower market prices in both our test
markets (South Sulawesi and Aceh provinces), the value of production of the Red tilapia
strain was lower than the ‘black’ tilapia strains. Of the four strains, the GESIT×GIFT cross
provided the best economic return. Survival was relatively low for all four strains (39–48%)
and growth during the later stages of the trial was poor (SGR <1.5 %/day), due to water
quality deterioration in the pond. Salinity was low (1 ppt) at the beginning of the trial but
rose steadily due to evaporation and reached 21 ppt by the end of the trial (125 days). Based
on the results of this trial we recommend that farmers culture GESIT or GESIT×GIFT cross
tilapia. Selective breeding programs for saline-tolerant tilapia tend to focus on red tilapia
strains, and these may be unsuitable for brackishwater production in Indonesia due to the
widespread market preference for ‘black’ strains of tilapia.
Key word : Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, brackishwater