BICULTIVO EN BIOFLOC DE CACHAMA BLANCA -Piaractus brachypomus-Y TILAPIA NILÒTICA -Oreochromis niloticus- ALIMENTADAS CON DIETAS DE ORIGEN VEGETAL

The productive performance of cachama and nile tilapia reared in biofloc and fed diets of vegetal origin was evaluated. In 1000L tanks with permanent aeration, were placed80 fish/m3, in a ratio 1:1 (cachama : tilapia); fish were fed with three levels of crude protein (CP): 16% (T16), 24% (T24) and 32% (T32) for 120 days. Parameters of growth, yield, water quality, production costs and proximal analysis of the flocs were estimated. Dissolved oxygen showed saturation above 100% and nitrogen compounds (NO2 = 0.4-0.5 mg/l, NO3 = 0.4-0.5 mg/l, NH3 = 0.2-0.3 mg/l, TAN = 2.2-2.4 mg/l)showed no statistical difference between treatments (P > 0.05). The final weight of the cachama (173.5-196.2 g) were between two and four times those obtained by tilapia(43.0-87.9 g). The tilapia recorded a better daily gain of weight in T24 (0.7 g/day); while the cachama ranged between 1.2-1.3 g/day, with no significant difference between these values (P > 0.05). The best bi-culture yield was obtained in T24 diet (11.4 ± 1.3 kg/m3), which also recorded the lowest FCA (0.9 ± 0.3). To produce one kilogram of fish cost between COP$3.148 (T24) and COP$4.445 (T32); of which the food represented between 49.2% (T16) and 63.3% (T32) and energy between 10.3% (T32) and 14.2%(T16) of total costs. Proximal analysis of the flocs recorded crude protein levels suitable(29-36% PB) for cachama and tilapia; but with low lipid levels (< 1.0%). The productive performance and the production costs allow to suggest the viability of the biofloc system for the production of fish meat with 24% CP diet of vegetal origin.