INDUCED SPAWNING AND LARVAL REARING OF ASIAN CATFISH, CLARIAS BATRACHUS (LINNAEUS), IN DIFFERENT AGRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF INDIA

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1 National Journal of Life Science, Vol. 11(2) 2014 : 0000 ISSN : X (Print), (Online) INDUCED SPAWNING AND LARVAL REARING OF ASIAN CATFISH, CLARIAS BATRACHUS (LINNAEUS), IN DIFFERENT AGROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF INDIA *1 1 2 C. S. CHATURVEDI, W. S. LAKRA and A. K. PANDEY 1 Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Panch Marg, Versova, Mumbai (Maharashtra) 2 National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Canal Ring Road, Lucknow (U.P.) ABSTRACT : Clarias batrachus (the Indian magur) is the highly priced, delicious, nutritious and preferred catfish for consumption throughout the country. It breeds once in a year in stagnant water during monsoon. Secondary sexual characters are more prominent during breeding season. Attempts have been made to develop the technology of breeding and larval rearing of Indian magur in different agroclimate conditions of the country. The spawning and hatching success were reported to be highest (70%) in Chhattisgarh (Central India) followed by Uttar Pradesh 60% (Northern India) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (40%) which may be due to variations in the physicochemical parameters of water or breeding status of brood stocks. Use of the threetier rearing system of hatchlings to fingerling stage showed better growth and survival of the catfish seed under captive conditions. Key words : Ovaprim, Induced breeding, Larval rearing, Clarias batrachus, Agroclimatic conditions, India. INTRODUCTION The freshwater Asian catfish, Clarias batrachus (commonly known as Indian magur), has high nutritional and therapeutic values. Since this catfish has the capability to thrive well in poorly oxygenated water bodies owing to accessory respiratory organs (Singh & Hughes,1971 and Chondar,1999), it can be cultured in swamps and derelict water bodies as well as paddy fields unsuited for carp farming (Winchakron,1957; Sidthimunka et al.,1966; Dehadrai et al.,1985; Thakur & Das, 1988; Thakur,1991; Talwar & Jhingran,1991). The stocking density of magur is very high under semiintensive and intensive culture system (Dehadrai et al.,1985 and Dehadrai & Kamal,1993). C.batrachus breeds naturally once in year in paddy fields during breeding season but farmers do not get enough seed for commercial aquaculture (Chondar,1999; Singh & Pandey,2009 and Ayyappan et al.,2011). For diversification of Indian aquaculture (Kutty,2001), development and standardization of seed production technology for airbreathing fishes in different agroclimatic conditions of the country is required (Khan,1972; Khan & Mukhopadhyay, 1975; Tripathi,1990; Thakur,1991; Nayak et al.,2000,2001 and Singh & Pandey, 2009). Though induced breeding of catfishes was done quite earlier with the use of pituitary gland extract (PGE) injected in the varying doses including 30 mg/kg (Ramaswamy & Sundararaj (1956,1957), Khan (1972), Devaraj et al. (1972), Khan & Mukhopadhyay (1975), Thakur (1976), Dehadrai et al. (1985), Zonneveld et al. (1988), Kohli (1989), Kohli & Vidhayarthi (1990), Rao & Janakiram (1991 and Goswami & Sarma (1997) and GnRHbased drugs (Sahu & Rao,1991; Alok et al.,1993; Lin & Peter,1996; Tharaknan & Joy,1996; Kanungo et al.,1999; Nayak et al.,2001; Pandey et al.,2001; Singh et al.,2002; Pandey & Singh,2003; Pandey & Koteeswaran,2004; Pandey et al.,2004; Mishra et al.,2011 and Yadav et al.,2011), the commercial scale seed production of C.batrachus has yet to come up. In this context, induced breeding and larval rearing experiments were conducted in different agroclimatic conditions like comparatively extreme conditions of Northern India (Lucknow), moderate conditions of Central India (Chhattisgarh) and tropical conditions of Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Port Blair) for mass seed production. MATERIAL AND METHODS In the present study, male and female brood fish, Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus,1758) weighing gm and length 1520 cm were collected from natural resources. The fishes were disinfected with KMnO 4 (3 ppm) for 2 minutes and kept in cement cisterns provided with black soil bed of 46". As protein requirement of catfishes are high (3032%) as compared to carps (Singh et al.,2000,2002), they were fed with 30% proteinrich commercial diet. During breeding experiments, eggs were collected in a plastic tray following stripping method. Similarly, testes were removed from male broodfish and macerated in the physiological saline for obtaining the milt. The sperm were preserved in 0.9% saline solution for fertilization of eggs of C.batrachus and dry method of stripping was followed for fertilization (van der Waal,1985). The breeding and hatching experiments were carried out in indoor hatcheries. The indoor hatcheries had three main units i.e. breeding unit, hatching unit and larval rearing unit. The breeding unit consisted of overhead tank (cap 3000 l) from where water was taken to breeding tank through shower system. In case of the hatcheries at Raipur and Lucknow, the spray and shower system not only increased the dissolve oxygen but also kept the water cool and fresh and created natural spawning conditions while in case of Andaman & Nicobar, pond water was recirculated in the Magur Hatchery. Sexual dimorphism was observed during breeding season (June July). During breeding experiments, 20 female (F) and 10 male (M) fishes were selected and the ovulating agent, *Corresponding author ( chaturvedi@cife.edu.in) Received Accepted

2 00 Ovaprim, was 0.02 ml/100 gm for males ml/100 gm in case of females to induce spawning. Only the wet breeding sets were kept under spray and showers system arranged in breeding tanks. The physicochemical parameters and temperature were recorded regularly and found to be in the optimum range (Table.1). In some sets of C.batrachus, ultrasonography was done at Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar) during breeding season in 2009 for assessing the maturity of brood fishes. The well matured brooders in prime condition were taken for induced breeding experiments. Natural spawning of C.batrachus was also observed in case of two sets of brooders on at CARI (ICAR), Port Blair when trials were conducted in the oval fibre glass tank size 3x2x2 feet and a total of 2,800 fry were produced through natural spawning trials. In the other experiments, normal (routine) induced breeding of C.batrachus were undertaken. A total of 10,432 magur fry were produced with a hatching percentage of 40%. The spawn of the catfish th were reared for 1215 days in indoor hatchery. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The details of breeding experiments conducted on C.batrachus under different agroclimatic conditions such as Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Port CHATURVEDI et al. Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) have been summarized in Tables. 25. Breeding was successful in all the three different agroclimatic zones. Use of ultrasound sonograpy technique for selection of prime condition of brooders of the catfish was tried under present study on producing 2,800 fry by natural spawning (without sacrificing the male fish) in one breeding set at Andaman & Nicobar Islands which might be useful for conducting the natural spawning of this species in future trials. The latency period varied and ranged from 8 to 10 hours at the three different places. The water parameter of Andaman & Nicobar hatchery during the experiment were found to have ph 6.5, total alkalinity ppm and total hardness while in case of Raipur and Lucknow, ph of hatchery water was ideal (7.58.5) for fish culture whereas the Andaman & Nicobar hatchery water, it was acidic and pond water was recirculated in magur hatchery. In breeding trials of C.barachcus at Andaman & Nicobar Island, one (right) lobe of testis was taken out from the brooders and the operated fishes were stitched, treated with Betadine solution and released for survival. It was observed that 99% operated fishes were survived after the surgery. The spawning and hatching success were reported to be highest (70%) in Chhattisgarh (Central India) followed by Uttar Pradesh 60% (Northern India) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (40%) which may be due to variations in the physicochemical parameters of water or breeding status of brood stocks etc. Table. 1 Physicochemical parameters of hatchery water during the breeding time. S. Water parameters Lucknow Raipur Andaman Remark & Nicobar 1. Temperature ( C) ph DO (ppm) DO rarely 4 ppm for few days 4. Alkalinity (ppm) Hardness (ppm) NH (ppm) Acidic water used after application of lime treatment NO (ppm) MarchMay water depth in pond less than 1 feet (A&N) 2 8. NO (ppm) nil Chloride (Cl ) PO Iron (Fe) Water Ground Ground Recirculating Heavy organic load water water pond water (due to duck waste) Table. 2 Breeding experiments of Clarias batrachus at CIFE Centre, Lucknow. S. Date Weight of female Result Fertilized Fertilization Number fish (g) eggs percentage of fry Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 1, , Bred 2, , Bred 1, , Bred 2, , Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 1, ,200 Total 16, ,260 44

3 INDUCED SPAWNING AND LARVAL REARING OF ASIAN CATFISH 00 Though C.batrachus is not categorized as threatened taxa but population of this species has been declining daybyday in the northern India while its availability is very poor in many parts of the country, including Kerala (Chaturvedi et al., 2009 and Binoy,2011). This has been attributed to overfishing, reduction in habitat areas due to reclamation of wetlands, extensive use of pesticides, weedicides and fertilizers in the catchment area as well as illegal entry of the Thai Table. 3 Breeding experiments of Clarias batrachus at CIFE Centre, Lucknow. S. Date Weight of female Result Fertilized Fertilization Number fish (g) eggs percentage of fry Bred 2, , Bred 2, , Bred 3, , Bred 3, , Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 1, Bred 2, ,200 Total 20, ,480 Table. 4 Breeding experiments of Clarias batrachus at Raipur (Chhattisgarh). S. Date Clarias batrachus Number Mean Total number Spawn Number of set weight (g) of good eggs of fry M F / ,500 5,250 3, / ,000 4,900 2, / ,000 5,600 3, / ,000 4,900 2, / ,500 5,250 3, / ,500 5,250 3, / ,400 3,780 2, / ,000 5,600 3, / ,000 5,000 3, / ,200 4,340 2,600 Total 72,100 49,870 29,760 Table. 5 Breeding experiments of Clarias batrachus at Port Blair (A&N). S. Date Weight of fish Temperature Total Fertili No. of Number (g) ( C) eggs zed hatchlings of eggs produced fry Male Female Water Air , , , , , , , , , , a ,600 1, b , , * Total Induced breeding 25,900 10,264 7,254 4,399 Natural spawning

4 00 magur, Clarias gariepinus and lack of breeding as well as rearing technology for conservation aquaculture and ranching (True et al.,1996; Anders,1998; Mondal & Mondal,2000; Pandey & Das,2006; Chaturvedi et al.,2009 and Binoy,2011). The latency period of induced breeding was 1016 hours of ovaprim administration. The eggs were fertilized by dry stripping methods using 0.9% saline solution containing milt with an overall fertilization rate of 56.66% van der Waal (1985) got better fertilization rate through striping method in Clarias gariepinus. Fertilized eggs were hatched out in flowthrough hatching system. Of the 30,000 fertilized eggs of C.batrachus th released, 27,000 fry were produced. After rearing for 20 days, 25,000 postfry were obtained with 70% rearing success in the threetier system which gave the better survival of the catfish in captivity. The average fertilization rate was observed to be 7080% for all the sets. The average hatching percentage in the hapa was 40, in traditional hatching unit 30 while in newly constructed flowthrough hatchery, it ranged from 8090% indicating high efficiency of the latter. Overall the average fertilization rate was 56.67%. After breeding operations, spent female brooders were healthy and no mortality was observed. The results obtained in present study clearly indicate the successful breeding of C.batrachus and feasibility of flowthrough hatchery for seed production under threetier system for better survival which is economical in operation and easily be accepted by the fish farmers of the three states. However, mass seed production of this species needs further refinement under different agroclimatic conditions of this country before being transferred on commercial scale (Thakur,1991 and Singh & Pandey,2009). REFERENCES Alok, D.; Krishnan, T.; Talwar, G. P. and Garg, L. C. (1993). 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