Induced spawning by LHRHa and pimozide in the Asian catfish Clarias macrocephalus (Gunther)

Experiments were conducted to determine the optimum dose of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) and pimozide (PIM) injected simultaneously to yield a high ovulation rate and produce sufficient eggs in the Asian catfish Clarias macrocephalus. In June 1990, injection of 0.05 or 0.10 μg LHRHa/g body weight (BW) + 1 μg PIM/g resulted in 100% ovulation, while only 80% of gravid catfish injected 0.025 μg LHRHa + 1 μg PIM/g ovulated. Most of the eggs stripped from 6 out of 8 control fish were not mature. Fertilization and hatching rates of LHRHa + PIM-induced fish (75–90% and 39–51%, respectively) were higher than those of control fish (36–39% and 0–1% respectively). In August and September 1990, at gravid catfish ovulated after injection of 0.05–0.10 μg LHRHa + 1 μg PIM/g BW. However, only 20% of the fish given 0.025 μg LHRHa/g + 1 μg PIM/g BW in August ovulated. No eggs could be striped from any of the control fish in August and September 1990. Techniques developed in this study, showed a simple and effective way of spawning captive catfish, C. macrocephalus. A simultaneous intramuscular injection of 0.05 μg LHRHa + 1 μg PIM/g and stripping of eggs at 16–20 h post-injection have been tested to yield high ovulation, fertilization and hatching rates

Growth and reproductive performance of the Asian catfish Clarias macrocephalus (Gunther) fed artificial diets

Four natural ingredient diets similar in nutrient composition (crude protein = 42–44%; P/E ratio = 115–120 mg/kcal) but different in protein sources, were formulated and fed to hatchery-reared catfish to measure the relative performance of the catfish fed alternative broodstock diets. The control feed was a combination of fish-by-catch and commercial fish pellets. In trial I, growth of the catfish was slow over a 36-week period, but some fish became gravid. Diets 1, 2, and 3 and the control feed were tested in trial II. Growth of fish did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) and female fish in all treatments became gravid. For fish induced to spawn from April to August (1994), hatching rate showed significant differences among treatments (P < 0.05). Relative fecundity, fertilization and hatching rates, and production of 3-day-old larvae were significantly different among fish induced to spawn in November (1994) when another incubation setup was used. Among the diets, diets 2 and 3 best enhanced reproductive performance of the catfish