Authors : O.A. Fagbenro and O. T. Adebayo
Abstract: Artificial spawning was induced in female African giant catfish, Heterobranchus bidorsalis by single intramuscular hormone injections of carp pituitary suspensions (CPS) at 4 mg/kg body weight (bw), 1.5ml of homoplastic pituitary suspension (HPS) per fish or human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at 2000 IU/kg bw, over three months of rainy season (June to August) in Nigeria. At ambient temperature (27?1oC), ovulation occurred within 14-18 h post injection. Egg hydration gave 16-20% increase in egg diameter. Hatching rates were high (>84%) and similar for all hormone-treated fish (P>0.05). The percentage normal larvae hatched ranged from 81.6% to 86%. They were reared in 500-l circular tanks and fed initially on zooplankton, followed by brine shrimp nauplii and finally weaned onto commercial fish fry diet. During the larval rearing trials for 30 days, survival rates >82% were achieved. Although the four hormones tested were effective inducers, the use of HPS would save operational costs in fish hatchery management.
Fagbenro, O.A. and O. T. Adebayo , 2004. Artificial Propagation of African Clariid Catfish, Heterobranchus bidorsalis (Geoffory Saint Hilaire 1809) . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 3: 527-531.