BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gurami Sago Osphronemus goramy (O. goramy) are an herbivorous freshwater finfish species native in Indonesia. This species has not yet been cultured commercially in brackish water. A 60-days study was conducted to evaluate the effects of salinity on survival and growth of O. goramy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two independent experiments were performed to determine the effects of salinity on survival and growth of juvenile O. goramy, first one was to determine the median lethal salinity (MLS-5096 h) and second one was to assess the survival and growth at different sub-lethal salinities. In MLS-5096 h study 0.0, 4.0, 8.0, 12.0 and 16.0 ppt salinities were used to initially find out the salinity tolerance range. Accordingly, a definitive salinity tolerance test was done in next phase to find out exact median lethal salinity by directly transferring the test species to 13.0, 14.0, 15.0 and 16.0 ppt salinity for 96 h. The median lethal salinity of O. goramy was estimated at 14.0 ppt. In the second experiment, survival and growth of the O. goramy were recorded at salinities 4.0, 8.0 and 12.0 ppt along with 0.0 ppt as control during 60 days.
RESULTS: Osigni goramy exhibited lowest final average weight at 12.0 ppt salinity and significantly highest at 4.0 ppt salinity. Highest SGR and weight gain were obtained at 4.0 ppt followed by 0 ppt, 8 ppt and 12 ppt salinity. All treatments were significantly (p<0.05). Survival rate of O. goramy varied between 76.45% (at 0.0 ppt) and 66.66% (at 12.0 ppt).
CONCLUSION: The O. goramy grew and survived satisfactorily at 0.0 to12.0 ppt salinities, implying that the species can be cultured commercially in brackish water, in view of in Indonesia, there are many abandoned shrimp ponds.
