The Effect of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone Analog Regime and Stage of Oocyte Maturity for Induced Ovulation of Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus

This study addresses rapid methods to identify mature channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, females for induced spawning with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog (LHRHa) and common carp pituitary extract (CPE) and the effects of stage of maturity, hormone dose, season, and cannulation before hormone injection. Hormonal intervention is the most effective method for inducing maturation and spawning in channel catfish × blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, hybrids. A total of 80 mature channel catfish were staged for maturity based on secondary sexual characteristics and 20–30 oocytes cannulated to ascertain their maturation stage based on the position of gonadal vesicle. Twenty females were randomly assigned to one of the four hormone regimes (priming + resolving dose): CPE 2 + 8 mg/kg (CPEC); LHRHa 20 + 40 µg/kg (LHRHaL); LHRHa 20 + 60 µg/kg (LHRHaM); and LHRHa 20 + 80 µg/kg (LHRHaH) and a fifth treatment consisted of 20 females selected based on apparent maturity as evidenced by external appearance were injected with CPE, 2 + 8 mg/kg without cannulation (CPEO). Two trials were conducted in early part of the spawning season and two trials in peak season. External methods to identify maturity correlated (r = 0.63) with that of “germinal vesicle position” method to identify the stage of maturity in females. Mean percent of females that ovulated, hatched, and fry produced per kg body weight did not differ (P > 0.05) among the five hormone treatments. The mean percent females that ovulated was higher (P < 0.05) for CPE‐induced females that were identified as “excellent” females based on external examination. The performance of cannulated females did not differ (P > 0.05) with that of non‐cannulated catfish. The mean egg quality of hormone‐induced females and percent of females ovulated in response to hormone treatment established a weak but significant linear relationship (Y = 3.85 + 0.008 × ovulation, r² = 0.39, P < 0.05).     

Use of Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,Pituitary as a Spawning Aid: Influence of Seasons and Preparations on Efficacy

Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, pituitary powder (CP) was prepared and administered to determine the effect of pituitary preparation, head selection criteria, and season of collection on the biological potency of this gonadotropic preparation. Pituitaries were harvested from three catfish processing plants throughout the months of December, February, March, and April to investigate the effect of season on CP potency. Gravid female channel catfish were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with priming (2 mg/kg) and resolving doses (8 mg/kg) of CP treatments, luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone analog (LHRHa), or saline. Pharmaceutical grade Carbopol 971P resin (CAR) was tested as a 1% aqueous dispersion in physiological saline and administered with CP (10 mg/kg) as a IP single injection at a final volume of 2 mL per kg as a slow‐release vehicle. Individual females were hand‐stripped, and eggs were fertilized with freshly harvested blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, spermatozoa. Pituitaries processed with either acetone or ethanol/acetone resulted in significantly different ovulation rates of 35 and 73%, respectively (P≤ 0.01). Ovulation success was not significantly different among CP and LHRHa treatment groups. Ovulation rates were not significantly different among treatment groups of CP collected in April (74%) or December (67%), or collected from male (69%), or small individuals (55%). The shortest latency period among CP treatment was from CP collected in December and from males at 39.1 ± 0.7 and 38.5 ± 0.4 h, respectively. The CAR vehicle treatment performed poorly resulting in an average ovulation rate of 19.0%, with 3.3% viable embryos at 36 h post‐fertilization. Pituitaries collected from channel catfish potentially represent a viable spawning aid for the production of hybrid channel × blue catfish.     

Induced Spawning of the Indian Catfish,Heteropneustes fossilis,by GnRH Analogue Alone or in Combination with Dopamine-Affecting Drugs

ABSTRACT

Mature female Indian catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis were induced to spawn in spawning season (July-August) by various ovulation-inducing agents, and the frequency of ovulation was checked after a latency of 12-14 hours of the treatment. Egg mass and fertilization rate were taken as end-points of spawning performance. [D-Ala⁶-Pro⁹] ethylamide GnRH analogue in dosages of 0.075, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.5 μg/g of body weight resulted in 28.5%, 71%, 86%, and 86% ovulation, respectively, but the lower doses of 0.01 and 0.05 μg/g body weight failed to induce ovulation in early spawning phase (July). The dopamine-2 (DA2) receptor antagonists pimozide, domperidone, and metoclopramide potentiated the anovulatory dose of 0.05 μ g GnRH analogue to induce ovulation in 86%, 86%, and 50% of the females, respectively, in the early spawning phase (July). The DA precursor, L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA; 10 μg/g body weight) and the DA agonist bromocriptine (10 μg/g body weight) decreased markedly the ovulatory response of 0.2 μ g GnRH analogue to 29%. The catechol-amine-synthesis inhibitor a-methylparatyrosine produced a mild depressing effect on the ovulatory response of 0.2 μ g GnRH analogue. Egg mass was high in groups that yielded a high ovulatory response (71% and above) except the a-MPT groups. The fertilization rate, however, was not affected, irrespective of the ovulatory response. The results show that the Indian catfish can be induced to spawn by superac-tive GnRH analogue alone in a dosage range of 0.15-0.2 μg/g body weight or in combination with DA2 antagonists, such as pimozide or domperidone, in a very low dosage of 0.05 μg/g.     

A comparison of human chorionic gonadotropin and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue for ovulation induction in black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Mature black sea bass, Centropristis striata L. (200–800 g), were captured in coastal South Carolina during the spawning season and administered hormones for ovulation induction and strip spawning. During both study years, control groups of females were incorporated into the study design and administered sham injections containing physiological saline solution. In 2004, females received a single intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (330 IU kg⁻¹) (n=8) or two injections of hCG at 24‐h intervals (n=8). In 2005, females received a single injection of hCG (n=10) or an analogue of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRHa) (n=10). In 2004, all fish administered a single dose of hCG ovulated at least once. Six fish ovulated on two consecutive days and one fish ovulated on 3 days consecutively. In contrast, six of eight fish receiving two doses of hCG ovulated once, five ovulated on 2 days successively and three fish ovulated 3 days in succession. Of the fish that spawned, no differences were found in any reproductive parameters. In 2005, all fish administered hCG or LHRHa ovulated at least once. Three fish administered hCG ovulated twice, four fish ovulated on three consecutive days and one fish 4 days successively. All fish administered LHRHa spawned at least twice, six fish ovulated thrice and three fish ovulated 4 days, successively. A significant difference in fertility was found between hCG (75.6±11.4%) and LHRHa (55.6±27.4%). The results of this study indicate that both hCG and LHRHa are effective for ovulation induction in prespawning black sea bass.     

Pimozide-LHRHa-induced breeding of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell)

Reproduction of the African catfish under hatchery conditions depends on the artificial induction of egg maturation and ovulation. In this study the combination of pimozide/LHRHa as ovulation-inducing substance has been evaluated. At a dosage, given as one single injection, of 5 mg pimozide + 0.05 mg LHRHa per kilogram body weight, 100% ovulation was achieved. Most of the eggs, collected after stripping, could be fertilized and hatched normally.     

Dietary administration of an LHRH analogue induces spawning of spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus)

The effects of a single oral administration of des-Gly¹⁰-[D-Ala⁶]-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (1–9)-ethylamide (LHRHa) in the diet (0.2–2.5 mg/kg body weight) on ovulation and spawning of spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) were examined. Oral administration of 1.0–2.5 mg LHRHa/kg to females in four separate experiments resulted in successful spawning 32–38 h later with mean fertilization and hatching success rates of 93.3% and 74.6%, respectively. A lower dose of LHRHa (0.2 mg/kg) was ineffective in two subsequent experiments. The data suggest that oral administration of 1 mg LHRHa/kg is a reliable method of inducing ovulation in spotted seatrout, resulting in predictable spawning within 38 h of feeding. This noninvasive treatment may be particularly useful for induced spawning of teleosts which are susceptible to handling stress.     

Hormone manipulation to overcome a major barrier in male catfish spawning: The role of oxytocin augmentation in inducing voluntary captive spawning

A major challenge in Clariid catfish seed production is our inability to induce voluntary captive spawning of the brooders. Since voluntary captive spawning had been previously elicited in a Clarias species by simulating natural breeding environment, we speculated that the major obstacle in voluntary spawning might be the absence of an inducing agent that triggers mating response in the brooders. To address the issue, oxytocin was injected to the brooders along with Ovatide (a commercial inducing agent comprising salmon gonadotropin‐releasing hormone analogue and domperidone). Administration of 40 mIU/kg body weight of oxytocin after 12 hr of Ovatide injection resulted in voluntary spawning of the fish (81.5%, i.e. 31 out of 38 trials), with more than 70% hatching rate in simple and low‐cost spawning facilities. Histology of male gonads indicated sustained gamete maturation and the gonads were observed to be visibly turgid in the fish that received both the hormones. In contrast, gamete maturation slackened after 10 hr in the control fish, injected with Ovatide only. Administration of oxytocin along with Ovatide was also observed to induce aggressive sexual behaviour among the males. Neither of the hormones, acting alone, could induce voluntary spawning in the fish or influence sexual behaviour. Our results clearly show that oxytocin plays a significant role in sustaining the male gamete maturation induced by Ovatide and trigger the behavioural mating response, leading to voluntary spawning in C. magur. The results hold potential to make a paradigm shift in the commercial catfish seed production technology.     

Preliminary investigations on the effects of dietary lipid on the spawning performance and egg quality of black sea bass Centropristis striata L

Adult black sea bass Centropristis striata broodstock ( N =162) were fed three different dietary treatments: two commercially prepared diets with 45% protein and two different lipid levels (12% and 20%) (diets 1 and 2), and a diet of frozen Atlantic silversides Menidia menidia (SS, diet 3). Broodstock were held under controlled photothermal conditions and induced to spawn with an LHRHa pellet (72 μg kg⁻¹ bw). Dietary lipid had pronounced effects on spawning performance and egg quality. Diet 3 (SS) produced a significantly ( P <0.05) higher fertilization success (22.4%) than diets 1 (0.6%) and 2 (4.8%). The hatching success of fertilized eggs was similar in all diets (range=40–58.6%), but only two spawns from diet 1 (12% lipid) yielded viable yolk-sac larvae (YSL). Diet 3 (SS) also produced significantly more YSL per female (21.8 × 10³) than the diet 1 (0.3 × 10³). Eggs from diet 3 (SS) contained a significantly greater proportion of n-3 series fatty acids, with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as the largest fraction. Eggs from commercially prepared dietary treatments contained significantly more n-6 fatty acids. The poor spawning performance of fish fed diet 1 (12% lipid) may be related to higher levels of linoleic acid and lower levels of DHA in the diet.     

Reproductive performance in induced and spontaneous spawning of the mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus: a potential candidate species for sustainable aquaculture

A reliable breeding technique was developed for the mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskal 1775), to help sustain the aquaculture of this immensely popular species in Southeast Asia. Using standardized indices of female maturity (based on mean oocyte diameter of ≥0.40 mm), time of injection (1000–1130) and sex ratio (one female to two males), a single injection of 100 μg kg^?1 luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) (n=16 fish), but not 50 μg kg^?1 (n=five fish), successfully induced egg (62.5% success rate) and larval (43.8%) production. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) at 500 IU kg^?1 (n=five fish) also failed to induce spawning, but doses of 1000 (n=22 fish) and 1500 IU kg^?1 (n=15 fish) gave spawning (77.3% and 80.0% respectively) and hatching success rates (72.7% and 60.0% respectively) that were not significantly different from those of 100 μg kg^?1 LHRHa. No spawning was observed in saline‐injected controls (n=seven fish). While mean spawning latency, egg diameter, egg production per spawn, percent egg viability, hatching rate, percent of normal larvae and cumulative survival of eggs to normal larvae did not differ significantly among the effective hormones and doses, 1000 IU kg^?1 hCG had a higher percentage (76.5%) of total spawns with egg production per spawn in excess of one million than those of 1500 IU kg^?1 hCG (50.0%) and 100 μg kg^?1 LHRHa (40.0%). Mangrove red snapper spontaneously spawned from March–April to November–December with a peak of egg collection and spawning in May–June. Egg collection per spawn ranged from 0.05 to 6.35 million. Spontaneous spawning of mangrove red snapper exhibited lunar periodicity with spawns mostly occurring 3 days before or after the last quarter and new moon phases and occurred consistently between 02:00 and 04:00 hours. High fecundity and good egg quality, coupled with the ability to respond to induce spawning or natural spawning in captivity, provide a sound basis for improving the sustainability of red snapper aquaculture in Southeast Asia.     

The Effect of Exogenous Hormone Treatment on Spermiation in Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (Sauvage and Dabry)

For the evaluation of hormonal control of spermiation in fish, a method to quanify the spermiation response of mature Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (Sauvage and Dabry) to hormonal therapy is described. Spermatocrit was determined after 7 min centrifugation at 18,000 ± g and sperm density was estimated by a standard hemocytomer method. Sperm density can be predicted from spermatocrit since their relationship is linear as described by the regression equation, Y = 3.68X - 27.18 ( R ² = 0.82, N = 50). where Y is spermatocrit and × is sperm density. Milt production by mature R. oxycephalus was highest at 24 h after injection of 1,000 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and 50 μg luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) per kg body weight. Increased milt production coincided with low spermatocrit and sperm density levels. These results demonstrate that spermiation in mature R. oxycephalus can be reliably evaluated by a spermatocrit method and that HCG and LHRHa are effective in stimulating of spermiation in this species.     

Reproductive biology of captive bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus), LHRHa induced spawning and egg quality

Few mature female bullseye puffer have been observed to spawn in captivity. The ovary appears to develop to late vitellogenesis, but not to complete final oocyte maturation (FOM). Luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) treatment induced the spawning of good quality eggs in both wild and captive brood fish.     

Induced Final Maturation and Spawning of the Marbled Grouper Epinephelus microdon Captured from Spawning Aggregations in the Republic of Palau, Micronesia

A high percentage (98.3%, N = 60) of the marbled grouper Epinephelus microdon individuals captured from spawning aggregations during July and August 1993 in the waters surrounding the island of Koror, Republic of Palau, Micronesia, were in the stage of maturity at which final maturation and spawning could be hormonally induced. The sex ratio of the captured fish was highly skewed towards males (4 male:1 female). Sexually immature females comprised the smallest size class, (<0.6 kg body weight (BW) or 33.0 cm total length (TL)), while sexually mature females were restricted to the 0.6–1.5 kg BW (33.0–46.4 cm TL) groups. Males predominated in size classes >0.6 kg BW, and individuals >1.5 kg BW (46.4 cm TL) were exclusively male. All females with oocytes that averaged ( N = 50) >400 μm in diameter were successfully induced to spawn by a two-injection protocol using human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at total dosages of 2,100–3,200 IU/kg fish. All males used in the spawning trials were administered a single injection of HCG at dosages of 500 or 1,000 IU/kg fish. Fecundity ranged between 7.96 × 10⁵−1.24 × 10⁶kg BW, average spawned egg diameters ranged between 769–832 μm, percent fertilization ranged between 32.6%–99.9%, and hatching percentages were >90.0%. Total fat content of eggs obtained from a pooled spawning event was 14.1 mg/100 mg dry weight. The data indicate that HCG is a suitable treatment for the induction of spawning in marbled grouper females that possess a mean oocyte diameter of 400 μm or greater.     

An Evaluation of a Leuteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Analog to Induce Spawning of Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

The leuteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analog, DAla⁶DesGly¹⁰ LH-RH-ethyl amide, delivered by intraperitoneal or intracranial injection was an effective agent for the induced spawning of channel catfish ( Icrulurus punctatus ) held in aquaria. A daily dose of 100 μg LH-RH analog (LH-RHa) per kg fish body weight was recommended as the dosage schedule of choice, but daily doses as low as 1 cg LH-RHa per kg fish body weight induced spawning of channel catfish. LH-RHa was as good or better than human chorionic gonadotropin or carp pituitary to induce spawning of channel catfish in aquaria. Sham-injected (control) channel caffish spawned in this study contradicting observations in earlier studies.     

The use of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue for ovulation induction in black sea bass (Centropristis striata)

Interest in commercial production of black sea bass has increased in recent years, but reliable spawning methods remain problematic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of oocyte size and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) dosage and delivery systems on ovulatory success for in vitro fertilization. Vitellogenic females with maximum oocyte diameters of 400–625 μm were implanted with a 95% cholesterol–5% cellulose pellet containing 50 μg of LHRHa. Fish with maximum oocyte diameters < 450 μm failed to ovulate. In contrast, 90% of fish with 500 μm oocytes spawned within 36 h and 40% of this group ovulated a second time. All of the females containing oocytes > 550 μm ovulated. In a second experiment, females with uniformly vitellogenic oocytes (> 500 μm) and implanted with 50 μg LHRHa ovulated substantial numbers of eggs (45,000–192,000 eggs/kg body weight (BW), but fertility was consistently low (0–15%). In a third experiment, 19 of 39 females receiving implants containing 6.3–23.6 μg LHRHa/kg BW during the spawning season ovulated, but fecundity (17,000–339,000 eggs/kg) and fertilization (0–98%) were highly variable. When fish were grouped by developmental index, calculated as the number of oocytes with diameters > 400 μm/total number of oocytes measured, there were no statistical differences among groups with respect to the number of spawns, fecundity or fertilization success. In a fourth experiment, 11 of 13 females with a clutch of fully vitellogenic oocytes that were injected with 20 or 100 μg/kg BW LHRHa ovulated between 1 and 2 times on consecutive days. Five of seven given an implant containing 12.5 μg LHRHa ovulated one or more times. Fish implanted with shams or injected with vehicle alone did not ovulate in any of the experiments. No differences were found in the number of spawns, fecundity or fertilization success from fish receiving different doses of injected or implanted LHRHa. Incubation of pooled eggs produced 155,000 larvae (60% hatch) and 95,000 one-gram juveniles. These results demonstrate that injected or implanted LHRHa is effective for inducing ovulation in black sea bass with maximum oocyte diameters > 500 μm.     

草鱼、鲢鱼催产前后血液中促性腺激素含量的变动

应用放射免疫测定法,研究了草鱼、鲢鱼催产前后血液中GTH含量的变化。催产后草鱼、鲢鱼血液中GTH的含量增加到“排卵阈值”水平,也就是比产卵前增加30-40倍,产卵活动才能实现。由此阐述了鱼类也象其他脊椎动物一样,存在着丘脑下部——垂体——性腺系统的调节机制。     

The influence of LHRH analog on oocyte development and spawning in female Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar

A study of [D-Nal(2)⁶]LHRH analog implantation in female Atlantic salmon was conducted to determine the capacity of sustained releasing hormone treatment to stimulate ovary growth and induce spawning. Judging the reproductive status of individual females at the beginning of hormone treatment was accomplished by ovary biopsy techniques allowing in vitro oocyte analysis. The gonadotropin and steroid hormone patterns associated with oocyte development and spawning in the Atlantic salmon were determined from blood sampling throughout the study period. We conclude that implanted LHRH analog stimulates development of the oocyte during the vitellogenic phase of reproduction; it is again demonstrated that LHRH analog treatment is an effective tool for synchronizing spawning in the Atlantic salmon.     

GnRH及其受体在2种真骨鱼消化系统中存在的免疫细胞化学证据

用链霉亲和素—生物素化过氧化物酶复合物(strept avidin biotin—peroxidase complex，SABC)免疫细胞化学方法，使用促性腺激素释放激素(gonadotropin—releasing hormone，GnRH)，促性腺激素释放激素受体(gonadotropinreleasing hormone receptor，GnRHR)2种抗血清对黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)和鲇(Silurus asotus)的食道、贲门、胃底、幽门、前肠、中肠、后肠和胰中的免疫活性内分泌细胞进行了定位。结果表明：在鲇的食道、胃、肠、肠固有膜、肠肌间神经丛、胰腺和胰岛中均存在着GnRH和GnRHR免疫活性阳性反应；黄颡鱼消化系统中除了在食道和胰岛中未见GnRH和GnRHR的免疫活性阳性反应外，其他部位均有阳性反应，而且GnRH和GnRHR分泌细胞的分布模式相类似。说明胃肠道中GnRH分泌细胞可能以自分泌或旁分泌方式参与消化功能的调节。本研究首次证实在鱼类的消化系统中存在着GnRH及其受体的免疫活性内分泌细胞，可为GnRH功能的多样性等研究领域提供新的形态学依据。     

Induced ovulation of yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) using a combination of a gonadotrop‐releasing hormone analogue and domperidone

The effects of an intraperitoneal hormone injection of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist (D‐Ala⁶, Pro⁹‐NEt GnRHa) alone or in combination with a dopamine antagonist, domperidone (DOM), on ovulation induction in yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco were tested. The hormone treatments were as follows: 6 mg kg⁻¹ body weight (BW) of carp pituitary extract as a positive control, GnRHa 10, 20, 40 and 80 μg kg⁻¹ BW and a combination of GnRHa and DOM as follows: 10 μg+5 mg, 20 μg+10 mg, 40 μg+20 mg and 80 μg+40 mg kg⁻¹ BW. Physiological saline (0.7% NaCl) was used as a negative control. Significant differences in the ovulation ratio, latency period and ovulation index (OI) were observed among treatments (P<0.05). The combination of GnRHa and DOM at doses of 40 μg+20 mg kg⁻¹ BW had higher values of the ovulation ratio and OI, and a shorter latency period compared with other treatments. The highest OI in GnRHa treatments was only 56.67%, suggesting a dopaminergic tone on gonadotropin secretion in this fish at the pre‐ovulatory stage. Therefore, ovulation can be successfully induced in yellow catfish with 40 μg kg⁻¹ GnRHa+20 mg kg⁻¹ DOM without affecting the egg quality.     

Suspending Mammalian LHRHa‐injected Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,in Individual Soft Mesh Bags Reduces Stress and Improves Reproductive Performance

Hormone‐induced spawning of channel catfish held communally in tanks is a reliable method to produce channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus ♀ × blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus ♂, F₁ hybrid catfish fry. However, mature catfish are crowded, and repeatedly handled during the process of induced ovulation. Repeated handling of gravid females is stressful and may impair ovulation, egg quality, and reproductive performance. Three trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of two methods of confining post‐hormone‐injected female channel catfish on stress response (cortisol concentrations) and reproductive performance: fish were either held individually while suspended in soft, nylon‐mesh bags or communally in a concrete tank. Percent of females ovulated to hormone treatment, relative fecundity, percent egg viability, and latency of channel catfish did not differ for fish in the two treatments. However, percent hatch and fry/kg of females was higher (P < 0.05) for fish held in bags that for fish held communally in tanks. Mean plasma cortisol response immediately prior to the first hormone injection (0 h) did not differ among fish groups in the two treatments. However, mean plasma cortisol concentrations were significantly lower (P < 0.05) for fish in the bag treatment at 16 and 36 h compared to fish held communally in tanks. Plasma estradiol levels (measure of oocyte maturation) were assessed at 0, 16, and 36 h after hormone injection; concentrations were (P < 0.05) higher at 16 h compared to 0 and 36 h; however, estradiol concentrations did not differ for fish held in the two treatments (P > 0.05). Suspending hormone‐injected broodfish individually in soft bags reduced stress response, improved egg hatching rate, and increased hybrid fry produced per kg weight of female broodfish. Using this simple technology, farmers can improve the efficiency of hatcheries producing hybrid catfish fry.     

Induced out-of-season and seasonal tank spawning and stripping of pike perch (Sander lucioperca L.)

Nine trials were carried out on the induced propagation of pike perch in out‐of‐season as well as in the natural reproduction period. From January till May, periodically, 16–20 pairs were transported to the hatchery, and acclimated to 15–16°C. The following hormonal treatments were used to induce reproduction: carp pituitary homogenate (CP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) alone or in combination; gonadotrop‐releasing hormone ‘Ovurelin’ (D‐Phe⁶‐LH‐RH) alone or with metaclopramid (MTC); and ‘Ovopel’ [containing des‐Gly¹⁰‐(D‐Ala⁶)‐LH‐RH‐ethylamide and MTC]. The effects of daylight regime, water temperature and the length of the pre‐spawning conditioning period on the reproduction performance were determined. From the 130 hormonally treated pairs, 122 either spawned in tanks or were stripped. There were no differences in the ovulation rate between out‐of‐season (93%) and seasonal (91%) propagation. The developmental stage of the eggs correlated with the latency period, which significantly declined from January till April. The latency period was the shortest in fish treated with hCG and, secondly, with CP. The germinal vesicle migration did not proceed without hormonal treatment, although in some trials breeders were kept at the spawning temperature for 1–2 weeks. The results demonstrate that the pike perch can be successfully induced to spawn about 3 months earlier than its natural spawning season, which allows a significantly prolonged yearly supply of fry.