Effects of Stocking Density on Water Quality,Growth and Economic Benefits of Chinese Soft-shelled Turtle Pelodiscus sinensis in Ponds

The Chinese soft-shel ed turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-valued freshwater species cultured in China. This study in-vestigated the effects of stocking density on water quality, growth performance and economic return of Pelodiscus sinensis cul-tured in ponds. P. sinensis were stocked at densities of 1 ind./m2 (LD: low stocking density) and 2 ind./m2 (HD: high stocking density) in 3 000-m2 ponds, with three replicate ponds for each density. P. sinensis juveniles were fed with a commercial dry pel et feed of 46% crude protein and minced fil et of silver carp ans cultured for 122 days. The results showed that the levels of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), Chlorophyl-a (Chl. a) and turbidity in LD treatment were significantly lower than those in HD treatment (P<0.05). The mean TN and TP concentration in LD treatment was 29.3% and 35.7% lower compared to the HD treatment at the end of the experiment, respectively. Mean survival rates, final weight, average growth rates and PER were significantly higher in LD treatment compared with the HD treatment (P<0.05), respectively. Production was significantly af-fected by stocking density, which was higher in HD treatment, but the net income was higher in LD treatment. The results sug-gest that turtles with mean weight 55.6 g rearing at a low stocking density (1 ind./m2) in ponds had a positive effect on overal economic return and was effective at improving turtle growth performance and water quality.