Provision or live feed (Tubificid worms) attributed significantly better weight gain in the five days old Clarias batrachus larvae when reared for another 28 days compared to those fed mixed feed (live and artificial) and artificial feed only. Larvae fed mixed feed showed significantly better weight gain compared to those fed only artificial feed and the survival rate was similar to those fed only live feed. Both the weight gain and survival rate were the lowest for the larvae reared only on artificial feed

Haylor, G.S.

Mollah, M.F.A.

Yasmin, A.

Aquatic Commons

Bangladesh}. Fish. Res. 2 (2), 1998 : 145-150 
Rearing of catfish ( Clarias batrachus lin.) larvae with 
live and prepared feeds 
A. Yasmin, M.F.A. Mollah * and G.S. Haylor1 
Department of Fisheries Biology & Genetics 
Bangladesh Agricultural University/ Mymensingh-2202/ Bangladesh 
1 University of Stirling/ Scotland/ UK 
*Correspanding author 
Abstract 
Provision or live feed (Tubificid worms) attributed significantly better weight gain 
in the five days old Clarias batrachus larvae when reared for another 28 days 
compared to those fed mixed feed (live and artificial) and artificial feed only. 
Larvae fed mixed feed showed significantly better weight gain compared to 
those fed only artificial feed and the survival rate was similar to those fed only 
live feed. Both the weight gain and survival rate were the lowest for the larvae 
reared only on artificial feed. 
Key words : C. batrachus/ Larvae, Live feed 
Introduction 
In Bangladesh, C. batrachus is commonly known as 'magur• and is available 
in all types of freshwater habitats such as rivers, canals,. beels, swamps and 
ponds. It attains maturity within the first year of life and spawns in both open and 
confined waters. The spawning period of C batrachus is very short and distinct, 
and occurs once in a year during the month of July-August (Thakur 1987). It is 
highly popular fish and due to its good taste and easy digestibility it is often 
recommended as diets for the patients and as such it fetches high market price. 
C. batrachus is an omnivorous fish and can be stocked more densely than 
many other species. But its culture practices have not been· standardized and 
the production is not sustainable. lnspite of the above suitability of the species, 
there are some problems for its intensive culture. The supply of fry from the 
natural sources is not sufficient and it is irregular also. However, use of pituitary 
extracts (Devaraj eta/. 1972, Khan 1972, Rahmatullah eta/. 1983), Prostaglandin 
F2 a (Tikare eta/. 1983) and human chorionic gonadotropin (Mollah 1987 a, b) 
brought about considerable and dependable success in fry production of C. 
batrachus. But larval feed for successful rearing of fry exists as the main 
impediment for its intensive culture. Mollah and Nurullah (1988) successfully 
reared C. batrachus larvae with live feed (Tubifex spp.). However, there remains 
several unavoidable problems associated with the availability. and culture of 
A. Yasmin et a/. 
natural live feed organisms. Artificial feed, on the other hand can be 
manufactured on a large scale basis and used for the larval rearing of fish. 
Formulation of quality fish feed from indigenous raw materials for C. 
batrachus fingerlings has been reported by Sanaullah et a/. (1986). some 
preliminary works on the formulation of artificial feed for C. batrachus larvae 
have been done by Alam and Mollah (1988). However, a suitable artificial diet to 
ensure better growth and higher survival of the larvae is yet to be developed. 
In view of above facts, an experiment was conducted in order to get the 
preliminary idea as to how live feed, mixed feed and only artificial feed affect the 
growth and survival of C. batrachus larvae depending on which further research 
to wean them gradually from live to artificial one can be initiated. 
Materials and methods 
Source of fry 
C. batrachus larvae used in the experiment were produced by induced 
breeding technique using human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at a dose of 21U 
g-1 body wt. and 1 carp pituitary gland (PG) kg-1 body wt. of female. Nine 
female and six male broods of C. batrachus were used for this experiment. 
Hatching completed by 30 hrs of fertilization. When the yolk sac was completely 
absorbed, the larvae were fed ground whole chicken egg mixed with semi-
boiled water. The whole ground egg turned into fine particles when mixed with 
semi-boiled water and larvae fed it wistfully. The experiment was started with 5 
days old larvae with average total length of 8.9 ± 0.99 mm and weight of 3.7 ± 
1.15 mg. 
Plan of experiment 
The experiment was conducted in the Wet Laboratory of Fisheries Faculty, 
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Thirty plastic bowls, each of 
17-L capacity, were used for this experiment. Each bowl, however, contained 
1 0-L of water to avoid jumping out of larvae. Each of the bowls was stocked with 
40 C. batrachus larvae. The bowls were divided into three treatments i.e., (f 1, 
T2 and T3) for each treatment, 10 replications were used. All of the fry were fed 
two times (at 0600 hrs. and at 1800 hrs.) daily. The larvae ofT 1 were fed live 
feed (chopped tubificid worms), while those of T2 were fed both chopped 
tubificid worms and starter (Saudi Bangia Fish Feed Ltd., Bhaluka ,Mymensingh) 
and T3 starter only (Table 1 ). Water level of each bowl was controlled by an inlet 
and an outlet. Each of the bowls was cleaned once a day in the morning by 
siphoning out one third of the water with the dirt at the bottom before feeding. 
At this time the dead fry were removed, counted and recorded. During 
experimental period the water temperature ranged between 25.8°C and 27.5°C. 
Dissolved oxygen content ranged between 5.5 and 7 ppm and PH between 7.3 
146 
Catfish larvae rearing 
and 7.7 Deep well water stored in an overhead reserve tank was supplied in 
each of the bowls by perforated plastic pipe at the same rate of all the replicates. 
Table 1. Proximate composition (%) of the experimental feeds 
Feed Moisture 
*Starter 1 12 
** Tubificid worms 
*As feed basis 
**As dry matter basis 
Procedure of sampling 
Protein 
39 
72.2 
Fat 
3 
22.2 
Fibre 
6 
Ash 
18 
5.5 
Sampling was performed at seven. days interval. Ten fry were caught from 
each bowl by the scope net. Then length (mm) and weight (mg) were recorded 
by a graph-paper attached petridish and an electric balance (Model no. Mettler 
Toledo PB 303 Delta range) respectively. 
Analysis of data 
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test supporting. the principles of Completely 
Randomized Design was applied to compare the data obtained on growth 
among three treatments (Van 1972, Fundamentals of Biostatistics). 
Results 
The growth patterns of 5 days old C. batrachus larvae in terms of length and 
weight during the 28 days of experimental period are shown in Tables 2 and 3. 
The final weight of larvae under treatment I was significantly higher compared to 
that of treatment II while the final weight of larvae under treatment II was 
significantly higher than treatment Ill. Specific growth raet also showed the same 
sequence. Weight gain by the larvae of treatments II was significantly lower to 
compared to those of treatment I and higher compared to those of treatment Ill 
(Table 3). Survival rate of the larvae were 92.25%, 94%, dnd 16% of three 
treatment (1, II and Ill) respectively. Survival rate (94%) of the larvae fed mixed 
feed (tubificid worms + starter 1) wax similar to those fed only live feed (tubificid 
worms) and significantly better than those reared only on artificial feed. 
147 
A. Yasmin et at. 
Table 2. Mean growth of Clarias batrachus larvae in terms of leagth (mm) and weight 
(mg) at different times of the experimental period 
Sampling Treatment I Treatment II Treatment Ill 
Days Length Weight Length Weight Length Weight 
(mm) (mg) (mm) (mg) (mm) (mg) 
0 8.9 3.7 8.9 3.7 8.9 3.7 
± 0.99 ± 1.15 ± 0.99 ±1.15 ± 0.99 ± 1.15 
7 18.51 201.2 15.83 208.7 10.85 12.4 
± 0.40 ± 5.8 ± 0.23 ±66.5 ± 0.16 ± 0.9 
14 28.3 404.2 22.9 212.0 12.79 20.7 
± 0.19 ± 10.4 ± 0.36 ± 40.8 ± 0.34 ± 2.0 
21 37.7 599.4 29.85 306.4 13.76 28.0 
± 0.16 ± 14.5 ± 0.54 ±14.33 ± 0.32 ±3.4 
28 47.63 796.8 37.37 403.9 16.48 38.6 
± 1.52 ± 68.06 ± 2.14 + 56.37 +2.21 + 11.73 
Table 3. Growth performance of Clarias batrachus larvae in different diets 
Treatment I Treatment II Treatment Ill ± SE1 
Tubificid worms Tubificed worms Starter 1 
+ Starter 1 
Initial weight (mg) 3.7a2 3.7a 3.7a 00 
Final weight (mg) 796.83 403.9b 38.6c 16.3 
Initial length (mm) 8.9 3 8.9 3 8.9 3 00 
Final length (mm) 47.63 37.4b 16.5c 0.7 
Weight gain 793.1 a 400.2b 34.9c 16.8 
Specific growth rate 19.23 16.7b 8.13c 0.3 
(SGR% day) 
Survival rate (%) 92.3 3 94.03 16.0b 7.2 
Standard error of treatment mean calculated form the residual mean square in the analysis of 
variance. 
2 Figures in the same row having the same superscripts are not significantly different (P>0.05). 
Discussion 
In the present study best growth rate of C. batrachus larvae was obtained 
with live feed (treatment 1 ). On the other hand, larvae fed starter-1 only showed 
very poor growth and survival. Mollah and Nurullah (1988) successfully reared 
C. batrachus larvae with live feed ( Tubifex spp.) In rearing the fry of C. batrachus 
in aquaria using supplemental feed during the first four weeks of life with live 
Artemia salina nauplii, zooplankton in live and frozen forms and with artificial 
feed, live Artemia salina nauplii was proved the best (Bairage et a/. 1988). 
Fermin and Bolivar (1991) reported that the specific growth rate of C. 
148 
Catfish larvae rearing 
macrophalus after 14 days rearing period was higher for fish fed Artemia plus a 
dry feed than for other treatment groups fed either live zooplankton or a dry 
feed than for other treatment groups feed alone. C. macrocephalus larvae could 
directly take dry feed during the early day of exogenous feeding. However, 
continued feeding on dry artficial feed resulted in poor fish growth and survival. 
Similar was the case in the present study where 16% survival was recorded in 
the larvae fed only artificial feed compared to 94% and 92.25% for those fed live 
plus artificial and only live feed. Alam and Mollah (1988) reported C. batrachus 
larvae fed on live feed (Tubifex spp.) exhibiting significantly superior growth than 
artificial feeds. However, the survival rate (80.2%) obtained with artificial feed 
containing 56% fish meal, 19% baker's yeast and 14% wheat flour was 
comparable to those feed on Tubifex spp. (91.5%). Kestemont and Statmans 
(1992) reported best survival rate, growth and feed utilization of Phoxinus 
phoxinus larvae when reared with the frozen Artemia nauplii or mixed diet (50% 
Artemia and 50% dry feed). From an initial body weight of 1.86 mg at hatching, 
phoxinus phoxinus larvae reached about 30 mg in 4 weeks time and survival 
rate was higher than 96%. On the other hand, the dry feed was not suitable for 
the Phoxinus phoxinus larvae and mortality increases. According to Hirano and 
Hanyu (1990) all developmental stages of C. gariepinus can adopt to dry 
compound feeds. The best growth was, however, obtained for fish fed on 
Artemia. 
Conclusions 
It is clear from the result of present study and the discussion made so far 
that C. batrachus larvae can be reared successfully with live feed while artificial 
feeds give poor growth and very fluctuating survival rates. So, the question is 
how these larvae can be weaned gradually to an artificial diet keeping the growth 
and survival rates in the acceptable range. This is of tremendous importance 
from catfish larvae culture viewpoint. Therefore, further study under the 
appropriate experimental design to wean the C. batrachus larvae to the artificial 
feed needs to be conducted. 
149 
A. Yasmin et a/. 
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(Manuscript received 21 May 1997) 
150 


Rearing of catfish (Clarias batrachus Lin.) larvae with live and prepared feeds

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Rearing of catfish (Clarias batrachus Lin.) larvae with live and prepared feeds

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