Compatibility of pengba, Osteobrama belangeri (Valenciennes) with Indian major carps and evaluation of its ideal incorporation level in carp polyculture system in planes of India

Abstract Two grow-out studies one on the compatibility of Pengba, Osteobrama belangeri with catla and rohu; and the other on finding its ideal incorporation level in the three species major carp polyculture system (catla, rohu and mrigal) were conducted for 11 and six months, respectively. In Study-I, two treatments having pengba stocked either with catla or rohu at a combined stocking density of 6500 fingerlings ha−1 were evaluated against a control having rohu and catla stocked together. While incorporation of pengba did not affect survival of either catla or rohu (P > .05), growth of the latter two species improved in respective treatment (P   .05) were similar and significantly higher than the rohu-pengba combination. Such results suggested feasibility of incorporating pengba in the major carp polyculture system. In Study-II, additional incorporation of pengba at 10 and 20% of the IMC density (6500 fingerlings ha−1) did not affect survival and growth of any of the major carps, reiterating its compatibility. With 10% addition, pengba yielded relatively higher survival (P > .05) as well as higher length and weight gains (P