Tigerpuffer(Takifugurubripes)isapromisingspeciesforaquacultureproductionbecauseofitshighvalueandlimitedsupply.However,inthenorthofChina,usingseacagestoculturethisspeciesinwinterishamperedbythefactthattheseawatertemperatureisextremelylow.Here,alargescalecommercialproductionoftigerpufferhasbeensuccessfullyrealizedusingarecirculatingaquaculturesystem(RAS)from3October2012to31May2013.TheRASwascomprisedofnineculturetanks(totalwatervolume200m3)andstockedwithapproximatelyatotalof14400fish(initialmeanweight160g).Thetigerpufferwashand-fedatarateof0.7%oftotalbodyweightperday,andthefeedconversionratewas(1.21±0.3)kgkg?1.TherecyclewaterinRASwastreatedbyasievebendscreen,afoamfractionator,asubmergedbiofilter,anUVsterilizerandasubmersibleaerator.Duringthewholecultureperiod,anexcellentwaterqualitycontrolwasachievedinRAS.Attheendofthisexperiment,thesurvivalrateoftigerpufferwasmorethan98%.Thefinaltankdensitiesaveraged31.2kgm?3,andthefinalinpidualmeanweightwas440g.
