relationship has been demonstrated for T. nilotica (Hughes and Behrends, 1983) and T. mossambica (Uchida and King, 1962). Snow et al. (1983) obtained a fry production rate of 17.8/female/day for T. area by using a fry transfer method in small tanks without hapas. A lower sex ratio (three females to one male) and stocking density (1.6/m2) were utilized. Hughes and Behrends (1983) obtained production of seed of 20.4/females/ day for T. nilotica in hapas. These production rates were substan- tially higher than the rates obtained in the present study. At least two factors contributed to low fry production. First, water quality deteriorated as the result of high standing crops of brood fish and high feeding rates. For example, the final stand- ing crop in Treatment 3 was equivalent to 18,600 kg/ha for the hapa and 6,600 kg/ha for the entire tank. The initial feeding rate in Treatment 3 was equivalent to 129 kg/ha/day for the hapa and 46 kg/ha/day for the entire tank. As dense algal blooms developed, algae clogged the mesh, thereby reducing water circu- lation and exchange between the hapa and the limited tank volume. Batches of dead eggs were occasionally found during fry collection. Poor water quality reduced fry production. A second reason for low fry production was that the brood fish were fed at a maintenance level and did not receive the nutrition required for maximum fry production. The daily feeding rate never exceeded 1% of the initial body weight, and as the fish grew, they received less than 1% of their actual weight. The feeding rate in Treatment 3 had to be lowered to 0.5% of the in- itial body weight to limit deterioration of water quality. Hughes and Behrends (1983) and Snow et al. (1983) fed their brood fish at rates of 3% and 2-3% of body weight, respectively. Uchida and King (1962) found that adequate nutrition was very impor- tant in obtaining good fry production. Hapas and small tanks are appropriate fry production units for small operations. To meet production goals, data generated from this and other studies should be utilized to determine production schedules and unit requirements. If fry are needed continuously, daily averages may be adequate for annual projections. However, fry are usually required in large quantities on a given date to coin- cide with nursery and growout cycles. In this case, mean produc- tion figures are less realistic as the result of high variability. The required number of production units, as determined by using mean fry production rates, should probably be doubled to ensure adequate fry production. Fingerling Production The objective of this experiment was to raise 5-g fingerlings, a size that could tolerate restocking at lower rates for additional growth to a larger fingerling size. After 63 days of intensive feeding, the largest group of fingerlings reached a mean weight of 2.3 g. These fingerlings had been stocked at the lowest density -26 fish/m2 (Table 5). The initial mean weight of fry for all stocking densities was 0.019 g. A longer growing period would be necessary to obtain 5-g fingerlings under present experimental conditions. Under dif- ferent conditions a higher growth rate has been obtained. Snow et al. (1983) produced 4.4-g fingerlings (T. aurea) in static tanks in a 40-45 day growing period at a stocking density of 62/m2. Weight gain averaged 55.5 kg/ha/day. The highest gain in the present study was 16.4 kg/ha/day at a stocking rate of 104/m2 (Table 5). In both experiments Purina Trout Chow (crumbles) was fed at a daily rate of 15% of body weight for the first three weeks. The feeding rate was then reduced to 2% in the earlier study and 5% in the present study. The difference in growth be- tween the experiments was the result of fertilization. Snow et al. (1983) fertilized the fry rearing tanks with a commercial inorganic fertilizer (20-20-5 for N-P-K) at a rate of 44.8 kg/ha/week until Secchi disc visibility was less than 30 cm. Natural food production that resulted from fertilization was an important component in the fry diet and promoted rapid early growth. Algal blooms eventually developed in the present study as the feeding rate increased, but the advantage of abundant amounts of natural food for initial growth was lost. If fertilization is not employed, recent findings suggest that the initial feeding rate should be in the range of 40 to 50% (Kubaryk, personal communication). Feed that is not consumed will serve as organic fertilizer and pro- mote the growth of natural foods. Survival in this study was generally poor, ranging from 32.7 to 87.8% (Table 5). Density did not affect survival since survival of less than 50% occurred at the lowest and highest densities. The fry were the same size and age when they were stocked so that cannibalism was probably minimal. It seems that predation by dragonfly larvae was the major cause of poor and variable sur- vival. Of the 18 tanks utilized in this study, 15 tanks had been full of water for several weeks before fry were stocked and three tanks were drained, cleaned and refilled the day before stocking. These three tanks were stocked at different rates, but survival was 93.9, 97.3 and 97.4%, rates that were uniformly higher than those in any of the other 15 tanks. Large populations of dragonfly larvae had developed in the previously filled tanks but none developed in tanks that were cleaned prior to stocking. Variable and poor survival greatly affected the results. There was a large difference between the stocking density and the actual density of fish recovered at harvest (Table 5). The density at harvest probably existed throughout most of the experiment since dragonfly larvae prey on fry right after stocking when they are small in size. The feeding rate was calculated on the assumption of 100% survival and therefore the actual feeding rate was much higher than desired (5%) in the treatments with low survival. Table 5 shows the actual feeding rate for the fish surviving at harvest as well as the feed conversion ratio and the final feeding rate in terms of kg/ha/day. Fish at stocking densities of 52 and 104/m2 had high survival rates, actual feeding rates of less than 6% and feed conversion ratios of less than 0.9. Fish at these den- sities converted feed well and grew well through week 9 (Figure 1). However, fish at the higher density grew at a much lower rate, possibly because there was less natural food available per fish. Fish at a stocking density of 78/m2 were fed at an actual rate of 8.0% and exhibited a feed conversion of 1.57. Apparently the quantity of feed was adequate as indicated by the relatively high conversion ratio. The harvest density (48/m2) was nearly the same as the harvest density (45/m2) of the fish stocked at a rate of 52/m2, but the growth rate was slightly lower (Figure 1). The final feeding rate was 41.8 kg/ha/day, which may have caused some deterioration in water quality although no major differences in water quality were detected among any of the stocking den- sities (Table 6). Fish stocked at densities of 130 and 155/m2 were fed at actual rates of 15.3 and 10.4%, respectively, and exhibited poor feed conversion (4.39 and 2.29). A sufficient amount of food was available and yet the final mean weights were low (1.4 and 1.3 g) as the result of water quality deterioration. The final feeding rates were 102.7 and 93.6 kg/ha/day, respectively. Tucker and Boyd (1979) found that a maximum feeding rate of 56 kg/ha/day reduced growth and survival of channel catfish in ponds as the result of water quality deterioration. The absence of bottom sediments in tanks and poor water circulation may cause water quality to deteriorate at lower feeding rates than in ponds. Fish stocked at 26/m2 were fed at an actual rate of 13.6% and ex- hibited a poor feed conversion (2.61). However, their growth rate was the highest because the final feeding rate was low (25.3 kg/ha/day) and much natural food was available. Although poor water quality slowed the growth of fish fed at high rates near the end of the experiment (Figure 1), these fish gained a temporary advantage earlier in the experiment when feeding rates (as kg/ha/day) were lower and the fish were at a size where they were able to consume feed at a higher daily percen- PROCEEDINGS of the CARIBBEAN FOOD CROPS SOCIETY-VOL. XX 238