Natural resources that support the development of fish farming is very abundant (1) Based on the natural
resources data, therefore on 2010 the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries have designated that the aquaculture
production should reach 353% or become world's largest aquaculture producer in 2015 (2).
Central Java province is rich in natural resources have the potential of establishing aquaculture production
through 2015 should be increased to 258%. According to (3) tilapia production in Central Java in 2010 was targeted
at 29.449 tones and to reach 65.965 tons by 2014.
Method of producing tilapia is currently done in still water and running water ponds and in floating net cage. The
feature of tilapia is the ability to adapt in high salinity. Its known as a euryhaline fish, as stated by (4) that tilapia is
classified into fish with wide range of salinity tolerance from 0 – 35 ‰.
Euryhaline adaptation of tilapia should be used to support tilapia production considering there are many idle
brackish water ponds. According to the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries there are total of 450 thousand hectares
(ha) of potential brackish water ponds to be utilized from total of 1.2 million hectares. That means only 36‰ of
potential brackish water ponds is currently used. Furthermore, Director of Aquaculture Production estimated from
those brackish water ponds area 35-45‰ of them are idle (5).
In order to boost tilapia production by utilizing the idle brackish water ponds, superior tilapia seed which have
high tolerance towards salinity is needed. (6) suggested that Larasati tilapia is a new variety from selective breeding
and hybridization of the 5th generation (F5) and have excellent survival rate and growth in fresh water.
The purpose of this study was to determine the survival rate and growth of Larasati tilapia (O. Niloticus) F5
cultured in different saline media. It is expected that the result of this research will illustrate the prospect of Larasati
tilapia cultured in the idle brackish water ponds. Tilapia fish farming activity in saline water has been do