Olive barb, Puntius sarana (Hamilton) is a potential candidate species for introduction into the grow-out carp polyculture system

The compatibility of olive barb, Puntius sarana (Hamilton) with major carps was studied in grow-out carp polyculture system for one year in a set of nine earthen ponds of 0.08 ha each. Three different species combinations evaluated were Control: catla (Catla catla Ham.), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Valenciennes), rohu (Labeo rohita Hamilton) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala Hamilton) at 0.5:0.5:1:1; T1: catla, silver carp, rohu and olive barb at 0.5:0.5:1:1 and T2: catla, silver carp, mrigal and olive barb at 0.5:0.5:1:1 at combined density of 7500 fingerlings/ha. While survival levels of the carps did not differ significantly in treatments (P > 0.05), silver carp recorded highest survival levels (94–96%) followed by olive barb (87–90%), mrigal (72–74%), rohu (72–73%) and catla (67–69%). The specific growth rate (SGR) and average harvested body weight (ABW) of catla and silver carp did not differ significantly among the treatments revealing their competition with mrigal or olive barb to be minimum. In absence of rohu in T2, both mrigal and olive barb showed higher SGR and ABW revealing minimal competition between these two species, while their lower performance in presence of rohu in Control and T1 indicated inter-specific competition with the latter. Such olive barb–rohu inter-specific competition, however, failed to yield significant effect on growth of rohu as revealed from its non-significant SGR difference in presence and absence of olive barb. The lower FCR (2.54 ± 0.06) and higher treatment biomass production (3418.4 ± 95.0 kg ha^− 1 year^− 1) in T1 with rohu–olive barb combination compared to T2 with mrigal–olive barb (2.84 ± 0.11; 3155.1 ± 104.7 kg ha^− 1 year^− 1) indicated feasibility and advantage of culturing rohu with olive barb rather than mrigal in carp polyculture. Further, similar biomass production in Control and T1 also indicated feasibility of replacing mrigal with olive barb in the grow-out carp polyculture system.     

Grow‐out performance of Kuria labeo,Labeo gonius (Hamilton), with major carps in carp polyculture system

A year‐long grow‐out carp polyculture trial was conducted in nine earthen ponds to study the growth performance of Kuria labeo (Labeo gonius) with the different major carps such as catla (Catla catla), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), rohu (Labeo rohita) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala). Suitable water quality parameters were maintained in ponds through intermittent liming, manuring and fertilization. Three different species combinations of carps were evaluated using silver carp and catla as the common species and varying other carp components as rohu–Kuria labeo, mrigal–Kuria labeo and rohu–mrigal in the three treatments. The ponds were stocked at a combined density of 7500 fingerlings ha^?1. Silver carp and catla showed similar growth performances in all the three combinations, suggesting that other carps in the combination do not have any differential influence on their growth. Kuria labeo was compatible with rohu, while competition was observed with mrigal. Although growth performance of Kuria labeo was inferior to that of mrigal, better compatibility of Kuria labeo with rohu helped this combination to yield a biomass equivalent to the mrigal–rohu combination, suggesting feasibility to use Kuria labeo as an alternative species to mrigal in the major carp polyculture system without compromising the total biomass yield.     

Effects of varied levels of incorporation of Labeo gonius in carp polyculture system in India

Growth performance of kuria labeo, Labeo gonius as a component species in the major carp polyculture system was evaluated at two incorporation levels against a control without the species through a year‐round grow‐out study in nine earthen ponds (0.08 ha). Three species ratio of catla, silver carp, rohu, mrigal and kuria labeo at 15:15:40:30:0 (T‐1: control), 15:15:40:20:10 (T‐2) and 15:15:40:10:20 (T‐3) were evaluated as three treatments. The carps were stocked at a combined density of 7500 fingerlings ha^?1. Silver carp demonstrated the highest survival (75–81%) followed by rohu (70–76%), catla (69–76%), kuria labeo (69–71%) and mrigal (67–69%). Species‐wise yield attributes such as survival, harvest weight, SGR and biomass yield of silver carp, catla and rohu were similar in their respective treatments. Kuria labeo at 10% inclusion demonstrated 12% higher harvest weight than its 20% inclusion. However, such higher weight gain could not affect the total biomass yields of carps which remained similar among the treatments. Furthermore, harvest weight of kuria labeo at 10% inclusion was comparable to that of mrigal when the latter incorporated at 20–30% level. Therefore, the study suggested 10% to be a suitable incorporation level for kuria labeo in the commercial grow‐out carp polyculture system.     

Compatibility of silver barb Puntius gonionotus (Bleeker) with Indian major carps in a grow-out polyculture

The compatibility and growth performance of silver barb Puntius gonionotus (Barbonymous gonionotus) with the three Indian major carps, i.e., Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala, were assessed in a 10‐month carp polyculture trial. Treatments T‐1, T‐2, T‐3 and T‐4 were stocked with three of the above four carp species, with an absence of silver barb, mrigal, rohu and catla, respectively, while all four species were stocked in treatment T‐5. The treatments were stocked at 6000 fingerlings ha⁻¹, with an equal species ratio maintained in each treatment. Incorporation of silver barb into the polyculture system neither affected the survival of any carp irrespective of species combination nor yielded significant changes in biomass production among treatments, except for the one without catla, where it was significantly low. The study revealed a higher extent of competition between silver barb and rohu, perceptible from the lower growth of one in the presence of the other. Although a certain level of competition of silver barb with mrigal was evident, competition with catla was not perceptible. Irrespective of species combination with silver barb as a component species, similar total biomass production in treatments revealed the feasibility of its incorporation into the Indian major carp‐based polyculture practice without affecting the total yield.     

Polyculture of a Critically Endangered Olive Barb,Puntius sarana (Ham.), with Indigenous Major Carps in Earthen Ponds

Polyculture of olive barb with indigenous major carps was carried out for 8 mo at different densities in earthen ponds. All the experimental ponds were stocked with fingerlings of major carps viz., catla, Catla catla, and rohu, Labeo rohita, at the rate of 3750/ha each. In addition, olive barb, Puntius sarana, was stocked at the rate of 10,000, 12,500, and 15,000 fingerlings/ha in treatment‐1 (T₁), treatment‐2 (T₂), and treatment‐3 (T₃), respectively. Fish in all the ponds were fed with supplementary feed comprising of rice bran (70%), mustard oil cake (25%), and fish meal (5%) at the rate of 3–6% of the estimated body weight. Physicochemical parameters and plankton populations of pond water were within the acceptable range for fish culture. The mean final weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate of catla were very similar in all the treatments while those for rohu and olive barb were significantly higher in T₁ than in T₂ and T₃. The gross and net productions in T₁ were significantly higher than in T₂ and T₃. The net benefit was also highest in T₁ followed by T₂ and lowest in T₃. Under the conditions of this experiment, growth, production, and benefits were greatest at a stocking density of olive barb at 10,000/ha in polyculture with other major carps.     

Influence of duration of aeration on growth and survival of carp fingerlings during high density seed rearing

Impact of varied durations of aeration on growth, survival and production performances of catla (Catla catla), rohu (Labeo rohita), fringe lipped carp (Labeo fimbriatus) and olive barb (Puntius sarana) were evaluated in outdoor concrete tanks (10 m × 5 m × 1.3 m) during fingerlings rearing. At a combined stocking density of 0.5 million fry/ha, provision of night time aeration for 4, 8 and 12 h was evaluated as the three treatments, T-I, T-II and T-III, respectively against control (T-c, without aeration). Overall survival and net biomass of the species increased among the treatments significantly as a function of aeration hours (T-c < T-I < T-II < T-III). Aeration for 8 and 12 h showed significantly higher survival, harvested body weight and SGR in all the carps than those with 4 h (T-I) and no aeration (T-c), suggesting 8–12 h of aeration requirement for fingerlings rearing at such high density. Further, no significant difference between survival levels in T-II and T-III groups suggested 8 h of aeration to be adequate. However, while species-wise performance showed 8–12 h night time aeration to be advantageous for catla and rohu, aeration for 4 h was adequate for fringe lipped carp and olive barb.     

Nursing duration and pond fertilization level affect polycultures of Indian major carp (rohu Labeo rohita and mrigal Cirrhina mrigala) with monosex Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

This study investigated the effects of nursing duration on the subsequent performance of rohu (R) Labeo rohita and mrigal (M) Cirrhina mrigala in polyculture with monosex male Nile tilapia (T) Oreochromis niloticus at four levels of pond fertilization. Nile tilapia, rohu and mrigal were stocked at a ratio of 4:1:1 in a 90‐day trial based on 40 20‐m² pens fixed in four 400‐m² earthen ponds. Growth of carp fingerlings during prolonged nursing (5 or 12 months) was stunted compared with fish nursed over a conventional duration of 3 months (3) but showed superior growth subsequently. Mean daily weight gain of stunted rohu (12) ranged from 2.2 to 2.8 g per fish day^?1 compared with 1.1–1.6 g per fish day^?1 for younger fish (3). The comparable ranges for mrigal were 1.9–2.8 and 1.4–2.1 g per fish day^?1. Growth of Nile tilapia was inversely related to duration of carp nursing at the four levels of fertilization. Nile tilapia showed more response to increasing levels of fertilizer input (Y=?1.421+1.716X, where Y is the daily weight gain of Nile tilapia and X is the fertilizer level, r²=0.98, P<0.01, n=12). At a high level of fertilization (3.0 kg N:1.5 kg P ha^?1 day^?1), performance of stunted fingerlings (5 and 12) of both rohu and mrigal was similar (range 2.3–2.8 g per fish day^?1, P>0.05), but younger mrigal (M3) grew faster than rohu (2.1 g per fish day^?1 and 1.6 g per fish day^?1 respectively). Older rohu (12) appeared to perform particularly well, and Nile tilapia poorly at the lowest level of fertilization (1.5 N:0.75 kg P ha^?1 day^?1), suggesting the impact of age of seed on competition within polycultures. The net fish yield (NFY) of tilapia was not affected significantly (P>0.05) by differential stocking age of carps; therefore, combined NFY of the three experimental fish species was not affected by the age of carp, as tilapia was the dominant species in polyculture. The highest combined NFY of all species in the most intensively fertilized pond (3.0 N:1.5 P kg ha^?1 day^?1) was calculated at 4.06±0.08 g·m^?2 day^?1, which was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the yield (1.82±0.12 g·m^?2 day^?1) from the pond with the lowest fertilization. At the highest fertilizer level, tilapia, rohu and mrigal contributed 72%, 14% and 14%, respectively, to the NFY, whereas the ratio was 60%, 20% and 20% at the lowest fertilization level. The study indicated that yields from tilapia in polyculture with the two carp species in more eutrophic water can be optimized if advanced nursing of carps is practised. Moreover, higher inputs of inorganic fertilizer and advanced nursing of carp are economically attractive under Bangladeshi conditions. Advanced nursing of rohu also improves its performance in more extensive systems when tilapia densities are high.     

Study of trace metals in Indian major carp species from wastewater‐fed fishponds of East Calcutta Wetlands

Fish grown in the East Calcutta Wetland (ECW) areas in West Bengal, India amass waste elements within their body through nutritional uptake and accumulation. The present investigation had been carried out to study the extent of accumulation of different waste elements in tissues of Indian major carps (IMCs) commonly cultured in composite industrial wastewater‐fed fishponds in ECW, India. Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometric studies were used to estimate metals like chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in water and sediment of fishponds, and in fish tissues (gill, liver and muscle) of three economically important IMCs, rohu (Labeo rohita), katla (Catla catla) and mrigel (Cirrhinus mrigala), collected from contaminated and control sites. It is evident from the study that mainly liver is the site of maximum accumulation of the elements, while gill, in most cases, is the site of least metal accumulation in the three IMC species studied. Principal component analysis reveals that Fe and Cr were in the first component and thereby must be having a major influence in trace metals uptake and bioaccumulation. Tissue‐specific and species‐specific patterns of metal concentration and partitioning were apparent from our present study.     

The effect of common carp, Cyprinus carpio (L.) and mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) as bottom feeders in major Indian carp polycultures

A polyculture experiment with the large carp rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), catla, Catla catla (Hamilton) and either mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) or common carp, Cyprinus carpio (L.) (as cash crop fish), and the small indigenous fish punti, Puntius sophore (Hamilton) (as food for the small‐scale farmer family) was carried out at the Field Laboratory of the Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The main objective was to compare polycultures of large carp in which the bottom feeder is either the native mrigal or the exotic common carp. Secondary objectives were to assess the effects of adding the small indigenous species punti to polycultures of large carp, and to compare the effects of mrigal and common carp on punti production and reproduction. It was found that (i) common carp damaged embankments, had no effect on catla, improved rohu performance by 50% and total fish production by 20%; (ii) punti addition did not affect rohu, catla and total yield, improved mrigal performance by 50%, and decreased common carp performance by 20%; and (iii) punti was not affected either by common carp or by mrigal. However, its performance was not satisfactory, probably owing to frequent netting, which might have hindered growth and breeding. In spite of the embankment damage caused by common carp, this bottom feeder seems to be more promising than mrigal, because it leads to higher fish production. The addition of punti to the large carp polyculture is a viable proposition, as it does not reduce cash crop production, and might be a good food source for a small‐scale farmer's family.     

Evaluation of raw and hydrothermically processed leguminous seeds as supplementary feed for the growth of two Indian major carp species

To study the effect of four different raw and hydrothermically processed leguminous seeds, namely Glycine max (soybean), Vigna radiata (moong), Vigna ungiculata (cowpea) and Cyamopsis tetragonaloba (guar) on growth in the fingerlings of Cirrhinus mrigala (mrigal) and Labeo rohita (rohu), two experiments were conducted. The first experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions (LD 12:12 at 25 °C) and the mrigal fingerlings were fed @2% BW d^?1 for 30 days. Before using the seeds as feeds, they were hydrothermically processed (15 lbs at 121 °C for 15 min) for the elimination of antinutrient factors (ANF). The results indicate that 15 minute autoclaving significantly reduces the trypsin inhibitor activity. Phytase‐phosphorous and tannins were also analysed from raw and treated beans. Studies on mrigal have revealed that weight gain was significantly low (P < 0.05) in the fish fed on raw beans compared with the fingerlings fed on processed bean proteins. Among the various raw diets used, significantly highest growth (P < 0.05) was observed in fish fingerlings fed on raw moong, followed by raw soybean, cowpea and guar. On the other hand, when beans were processed, the highest growth was observed in fingerlings fed on processed soybean. Studies have further revealed that hydrothermal processing also affected the values of the feed conversion ratio, gross conversion efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, gross protein retention, gross energy retention and ammonia excretion. Proximate composition of the carcass revealed high accumulation of protein, fat and energy in fingerlings fed on processed soybean in comparison with other diets. Keeping in view the higher weight gain in fish fed on hydrothermically processed bean proteins, only processed bean diets were fed to the fingerlings of mrigal and rohu stocked in fish ponds (experiment 2). A significant (P < 0.05) increase in mean fish weight, and specific growth rate was observed in fingerlings fed on hydrothermically processed soybean, followed by moong and cowpea. Weight gain for mrigal fingerlings remained significantly low in comparison to the rohu fingerlings fed on similar diets. An investigation on the effects of feeds on water quality parameters indicate that the trophic status of the ponds where soybean was used as fish feed remained high in comparison to the other treatments. A significant positive correlation of nutrients, NPP and plankton population with fish growth was also observed.     

Effect of Different Feeding Levels of Plant‐ingredient‐based Feed on Fillet Fatty Acid Profile,Carcass Trait,and Sensory Characteristics of Indian Major Carps in Earthen Pond Polyculture

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of plant‐ingredient‐based feeds on fillet fatty acid profiles, proximate composition, carcass traits, and sensory characteristics of three Indian major carps (IMCs), Catla catla, Labeo rohita, and Cirrhinus mrigala, when fed at different levels of their body weight. An experimental feed was prepared with only plant ingredients. The IMCs were fed twice daily at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% of their body weight for 150 d in 0.06‐ha earthen pond polyculture systems. The maximum growth and best feed utilization was achieved with feeding at 2% of fish biomass in the ponds. Fillet yield and lipid recovery increased significantly (P < 0.05), with increasing feeding level up to 2% of body weight and plateaued thereafter. In fillets, eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n‐3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n‐3) concentration increased with increasing feeding levels. Carcass traits, sensory characteristics, and consumer acceptance of IMC fillets were not influenced by feeding plant‐ingredient‐based feeds at different feeding rates.     

Identification of gut‐associated amylase,cellulase and protease‐producing bacteria in three species of Indian major carps

Isolation and enumeration of amylase, cellulase and protease‐producing autochthonous bacteria in the proximal intestine (PI) and distal intestine (DI) of three species of Indian major carps, catla (Catla catla), mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) and rohu (Labeo rohita), were investigated using the conventional culture‐based technique. Population levels of amylolytic strains were the highest in the PI of catla and the lowest in the DI of rohu. The highest viable count of cellulase and protease‐producing bacteria was recorded in the DI and PI of mrigal respectively. Among the bacteria isolated, 10 strains (five from PI and five from DI) were selected as potent enzyme producers according to a quantitative enzyme assay. The chosen strains were further identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The five strains isolated from catla showed high similarity to Citrobacter sp. clone W2, Enterobacter sp. JA24, Bacillus coagulans strain TR, uncultured bacterial clone Hel3bc04 and Bacillus cereus strain UST2006‐BC004. The four strains isolated from mrigal were most closely related to Bacillus sp. KCd2, uncultured bacterial clone Hel3bd09, B. cereus strain BU040901‐020 and Citrobacter freundii strain YRL11, while the strain isolated from rohu probably belonged to Bacillus sp. GV.     

Effects of increasing the stocking density of large carps by 20% on 'cash' carp–small fish polyculture of Bangladesh

This experiment was carried out in the framework of a project to develop a viable fish polyculture technology under Bangladeshi conditions that allows simultaneous fish production of small indigenous species for the farmers' family consumption and of large carp species as a cash crop. The objectives of this experiment were to assess the effects on fish performance and on the environment of adding 20% large fish to the basic ‘cash crop’ carp–small fish polyculture consisting of 10 000 fish ha^?1 of the large carp rohu Labeo rohita (Hamilton), catla Catla catla (Hamilton) and common carp Cyprinus carpio (L.) at a species ratio 1:1:1, and 15 000 fish ha^?1 of each small indigenous fish punti Puntius sophore (Hamilton) and mola Amblypharyngodon mola (Hamilton) (control). The treatment ponds were stocked with additional 2000 large fish ha^?1, either all rohu, or all catla, or all common carp, or half rohu and half common carp, or half catla and half common carp. The results obtained and the analysis of interactions through the food web that affect food resource availability of the different fish species and account for the trends and differences observed among treatments confirm the positive effect of common carp on rohu reported in previous experiments and show that a 20% increase in large carps stocking neither affect the survival of the large carps nor reduce harvesting biomass of the small fish for the farmer's family consumption. Increased stocking densities of each large carp species did not significantly reduce its own harvesting weight and mean growth rate, while significantly increased rohu and catla (but not common carp) harvesting biomass and yield. The complex relations between species led to inter‐ and intraspecific competition, which in some treatments increased growth or yield of one species and in other treatments of other species, so that the gains on one species and the losses on the other led to no significant total harvested biomass differences between treatments. Yet, the results herein reported may help farmers to select their species stocking ratios. Thus, if the main target of the farmer is rohu, then a stocking density increase of 10% common carp and 10% rohu would improve rohu growth rate (due to common carp) and result in 50% higher rohu harvesting biomass and yield. If the main target of the farmer is catla, then a 20% increase in catla stocking density would lead to 20% higher catla harvesting biomass.     

Nano zinc vis‐à‐vis inorganic Zinc as feed additives: Effects on growth,activity of hepatic enzymes and non‐specific immunity in rohu,Labeo rohita (Hamilton) fingerlings

The effects of dietary administration of inorganic zinc (zinc sulphate, ZnSO₄) and nano zinc (zinc oxide nanoparticles, ZnO‐NP) were evaluated in rohu, Labeo rohita fingerlings. Fish were fed with a basal diet (Control) supplemented with ZnSO₄ (T1, T2 and T3) and ZnO‐NP (T4, T5 and T6) at 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, respectively, for a duration of 45 days. The results revealed that fish fed diet containing 20 mg ZnO‐NP per kg (T5) had the highest weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR, % per day), which was significantly different (p < .05) from the other experimental diets. Significantly (p < .05), higher activities of the digestive and metabolic enzymes were recorded in the fish fed ZnO‐NP containing diets as compared to the diets containing inorganic Zn or control diet. The maximum serum glucose and protein levels were noted in fish reared on diet T5. Both SGOT and SGPT activities were significantly increased in fish fed Zn‐supplemented diets (T1 to T6), as compared to the control group. Similarly, innate immune parameters were improved with feeding Zn incorporated diets. The highest phagocytic (40.74 ± 0.65%) and respiratory burst (0.33 ± 0.001, OD 630nm) activities were recorded in the fish fed diet containing ZnO‐NPs at 20 mg/kg (T5). The maximum superoxide production and serum peroxidase activity were detected in the fish fed T5 and T6 diets. Overall, results indicated that short‐duration feeding (≤45 days) of dietary ZnO‐NP (20 mg/kg) improved growth, enzyme activity, serum biochemical parameters and immune function in rohu fingerlings.     

Impact of varied frequency of nitrogen fertilization on the grow‐out performance of Labeo rohita (Hamilton)

A grow‐out monoculture experiment for rohu, Labeo rohita was conducted for 1 year in nine earthen ponds of 0.04 ha each to study the impact of varied frequency of nitrogen fertilization on fish growth. Ponds were stocked at 8000 fingerlings ha^?1 density. While ponds were applied with cattle manure and phosphate fertilizer at conventional dosages followed for grow‐out carp culture, nitrogen fertilization was carried out at 15‐, 10‐ and 7‐day intervals and were designated as treatments T‐1, T‐2 and T‐3 respectively. Although all the water parameters in the treatments were within the suitable range for grow‐out carp farming, annual average concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO), plankton as well as availability of nutrients such as total ammonia‐ and nitrate‐nitrogen in ponds were significantly higher in T‐3 compared with T‐1 and T‐2. Greater fluctuation of critical parameters like DO, plankton concentration and total ammonia nitrogen were observed in T‐1 and T‐3 while the same were more consistent in T‐2, revealing the prevalence of a better growing environment in the latter. Fish in T‐2 also showed better specific growth rate, higher body weight attainment and higher biomass yield compared with the other two treatments, revealing the desirability of nitrogen fertilization at 10‐day intervals in carp culture.     

Production performance of Labeo calbasu (Hamilton) in polyculture with three Indian major carps Catla catla (Hamilton), Labeo rohita (Hamilton) and Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) with provision of fertilizers,feed and periphytic substrate as varied inputs

Inclusion of kalbasu, Labeo calbasu as a candidate species in the Indian major carps based polyculture system was evaluated through a six-month grow-out trial in earthen ponds of 0.08 ha each. Species performance was assessed through provision of varied inputs viz., fertilizers (T-1), fertilizers + supplementary feed (T-2) and fertilizers + supplementary feed + periphytic substrate (T-3) as the three treatments, which were evaluated in replicates. Catla (35%), rohu (35%), mrigal (15%) and kalbasu (15%) were stocked at combined density of 7500 fingerlings/ha. While ponds were fertilized with cowdung, urea and single super phosphate, mixture of groundnut oilcake and rice bran at 1:1 (w/w) was provided as supplementary feed. The periphytic substrate, comprised stripe bamboo mat, was provided at 10% of the pond surface area. Provision of each additional input caused significantly higher increase in overall mean survival, growth, SGR and net biomass yield of carps. Among the carp species, while only rohu and kalbasu showed significantly higher weight gain (234.4 g and 170.3 g, respectively) in T-3, no such increase was noticed either in catla or mrigal. The net production in T-3 (1516.1 ± 24.3 kg ha^− 1 6 months^− 1) was 13.0 and 73.2% higher than those of T-2 (1341.7 ± 15.5 kg ha^− 1 6 months^− 1) and T-1 (875.2 ± 15.6 kg ha^− 1 6 months^− 1), respectively. The study revealed the relative advantage of using periphytic substrates in carp polyculture systems with kalbasu as a component species.     

Effects of silver carp and the small indigenous fish mola Amblypharyngodon mola and punti Puntius sophore on fish polyculture production

A sustainable semi-intensive pond aquaculture technology including major carp species as cash-crop and small indigenous fish species (SIS) as food for the farmers' families is being optimized in Bangladesh. The inclusion of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), a cheap large species affordable by poor farmers, is now being considered. As part of a study on the effects of this filter feeder on polycultures including the large carps rohu (Labeo rohita), catla (Catla catla) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and the SIS punti (Puntius sophore) and mola (Amblypharyngodon mola), an experiment was carried out under farm conditions to test the effects of silver carp and of each SIS species on the growth, survival and yield of the large and small species and on pond ecology.The experiment was performed in 38 farmers' fishponds of different sizes, from 220 m² to 1200 m². The results show that the larger the fish pond the better rohu performance, the larger punti fry weight and the lower punti fry harvested biomass. Pond size did not affect other fish species. The addition of 250 mola and/or punti per 100 m² fishponds affected rohu and catla and did not affect common and silver carps. The addition of mola alone reduced rohu's parameters by 15%. The addition of SIS in the three combinations tested (250 mola, 250 punti, 125 of each species) reduced catla's parameters by 20-24%. Punti fry were larger when both SIS were stocked and punti fry biomass was larger when only punti were present. Total mola harvested biomass and yield were larger when the entire SIS stocked were only mola.The addition of 10 silver carp over the 99 large carps stocked per 100 m² fishponds negatively affected rohu and catla growth and yield by about 15-21% and 45-50% respectively but not their survival, did not affect common carp performance, did not affect punti and mola reproduction in the ponds, reduced punti yields by 25%, reduced mola performance by about 35%, and silver carp own biomass increased total yield and total income in about 12% each. These effects are explained and discussed considering fish interactions through the food web. The decreased income from selling the more expensive large carps is more than compensated by that obtained from silver carp, which allows the option to the farmer to sell part of the silver carp to complete the cash income that would have been obtained from large carps only if silver carp would not be stocked, and consume the rest with the family.     

Triploidization in rohu × mrigal hybrid and comparison of growth performance of triploid hybrid

The present study was aimed at the identification of treatment optima to induce triploidy in ‘Labeo rohita (rohu) × Cirrhinus cirrhosus (mrigal)’ hybrid using heat shock treatment. The eggs were exposed at four different temperature regimes viz., 38, 39, 40 and 41°C for 1–3 min, applied 3–5 min after fertilization. After 4 min of fertilization, heat shock treatments for 1 and 1.5 min durations were found the best inducing triploidy up to 100% and 96% respectively. Survival rates upto yolk sac absorption were found to be 73% and 71% in rohu and mrigal, 68% and 67% in the reciprocal diploid hybrids and 61% and 60% in the reciprocal triploid hybrids (RTH). Triploidy was confirmed by chromosome counting that revealed the diploid chromosome number of rohu and mrigal at 2n = 50 and in their triploid hybrid chromosome number was found to be 3n = 75. Growth rate of the RTH showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) from the single species and the diploid hybrids. Triploids also showed higher survival rate over the diploids.     

Improved survival of rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton-Buchanan) and silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) fingerlings using low-dose quinaldine and benzocaine during transport

The effects of fingerlings immersion in low‐dose benzocaine (15 and 30 mg L⁻¹, silver carp and rohu) and quinaldine (100 μL L⁻¹ silver crap and 250 μL L⁻¹ rohu) for 1, 3 and 6 h on stress responses and survival of rohu, Labeo rohita and silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix fingerlings were evaluated in a transport simulation experiment. Both quinaldine and benzocaine showed low mortalities (0–2%). The total mortality in control (with no anaesthesia) was 30% for rohu and 14% for silver carp. Quinaldine and benzocaine‐treated fingerlings had significantly higher plasma chloride levels than the control in both species. Benzocaine, quinaldine, as well as the control, had an initial elevation of plasma cortisol levels. Benzocaine lost its effectiveness after 3 h exposure while quinaldine persisted throughout the 6 h experimental period. Both sedatives reduced bacterial build‐up compared with the control. No post‐exposure mortality was observed for any of the transport methods assessed 48 h after the treatment. This study suggests that the use of low‐dose benzocaine or quinaldine during transport has positive effect on the survival and health of rohu and silver carp fingerlings.     

Comparison of Tilapia Monoculture and Carp Polyculture in Fertilized Earthen Ponds

A comparison of a monoculture of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and a polyculture of carps (silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix; rohu Labeo rohita; and mrigal Cirrhinus mriga la; ratio 4:3:3) was carried out in 200-m² earthen ponds fertilized with cattle manure and supplemented with inorganic fertilizer at 3-kg nitrogen and 1.5-kg phosphorus/ha per day. A control treatment of a tilapia monoculture without fertilizer inputs was included to assess the effect of pond basal fertility. Net yields of 23.5 kg/pond per 112 d (3.8 t/ha per 1 yr) in the tilapia monoculture and 19.2 kg/pond per 112 d (3.1 t/ha per yr) in the carp polyculture were not significantly different; net yields from unfertilized tilapia monoculture ponds were negative. In the carp polyculture, silver carp was the dominant species at harvest contributing 73% of the total net fish production compared to 9% and 19% by rohu and mrigal, respectively. Water quality data suggested that tilapia yields could have been further improved by increasing fertilization rate but that critical dissolved oxygen concentration constrained this option for carp polyculture.