The first comparative study on the growth performance of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L. 1758) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, L. 1758) commercially farmed in low salinity brackish water and earthen ponds

In this study, 50 000 European seabass and 50 000 gilthead seabream with an average wet weight of 1.6 g were cultivated during 600 days under low water salinity conditions (7‰) of which getting out from underground at fixed 19°C, being produced in earthen ponds under commercial production conditions. From the beginning to the end of the experiment, the same fish feeds were used for both species throughout the study, and when European seabass reached 328.4±22.98 g, gilthead seabream reached to 369.12±24.11 g. At the end of the experiment, while the feed conversion rate (FCR) was calculated as 1.72±0.06 for European sea bass, it was calculated 1.53±0.03 for gilthead sea bream. Protein efficiency ratios were 1.24±0.17 for European seabass, and 1.40±0.06 for gilthead seabream. Significant differences were found between two species in terms of live weight and FCR (p<0.05), while no difference was found related to the specific growth rate (p>0.05). The results showed that gilthead seabream taken into earthen ponds and low salinity brackish water was able to reach 300 g and over live weight with faster and lower FCR values compared to European sea bass in the certain time.