Development of Optimal Feeding Strategies for Intensive Catfish Culture Using Precision Aquaculture Technologies in Nigeria: A Systems Modelling Approach

Precision aquaculture technologies including automated feeding systems, computer vision-based feed detection, and real-time water quality sensors offer the potential to dramatically improve feed efficiency in intensive catfish farms, but systems-level modelling frameworks integrating these technologies for the specific production conditions, species, and economic parameters of Nigerian intensive aquaculture have not been developed. This study develops an original systems model for optimal feeding strategy determination in intensive African catfish culture, coupling a bioenergetics model for Clarias gariepinus, a water quality dynamics model, and an economic optimisation module using dynamic programming to identify time-varying optimal feeding rates as a function of real-time fish biomass, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and ammonia concentration. The systems model was parameterised from experimental data collected at three intensive catfish farms in Ogun and Lagos States over two production cycles, augmented with controlled feeding efficiency experiments. Model-derived optimal feeding strategies were implemented via Arduino-controlled automated feeders and validated against standard feeding management in paired tank experiments over 16 weeks. Fish fed according to model-derived optimal strategies achieved 12.4% better feed conversion ratio and 8.7% higher final biomass compared to conventionally managed tanks. Production cost per kilogram decreased by 14.2% under the model-optimised strategy. The study provides an original precision aquaculture decision support framework for intensive catfish production in Nigeria and demonstrates the economic feasibility of technology investment for feed efficiency improvement at the commercial farm scale.

Keywords: precision aquaculture, feeding optimisation, Clarias gariepinus, systems modelling, feed efficiency