Evaluation of Reproductive Indices and Growth of Normal, Albino, Clarias Gariepinus and Their Reciprocals in Hatchery Conditions

Abstract

Normal pigmented and albino Clarias gariepinus fingerlings, and their reciprocal crosses were compared to estimate the percent fertilization, hatchability and evaluate growth performance of normal pigmented, albino Clarias gariepinus and their reciprocal crosses. The offspring were reproduced artificial through induced breeding and raised for eight weeks in plastic bowls with water level 30L and each treatment was replicate in three bowls. Normal pigmented purebred(NN) had the highest percent fertilization of 98.7%, followed by purebred albino (AA) 96.6%, while the hybrids NN x AA and AA x NN had 70.1% and 85% respectively. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in the fertilization. NN Clarias gariepinus had the higher hatchability of 97% than the AA Clarias gariepinus 94% followed by AA x NN 75%, NN x AA  hybrid had the lowest, there was  significant different(p<0.05) in hatchability. There was significant difference(p<0.05) in mean weight gain, 7.44±0.25g was the  highest in NN x AA hybrid crosses followed by AA x NN hybrid crosses 6.40±0.04g, NN pigmented 6.29.±0.13g  and AA albino 4.23 ±0.15g was the lowest fed for 56 days. The ratio of albino to normal pigmented C. gariepinus in all the crosses showed significant difference (p<0.05), AA x AA was 4:1, NN x NN all normal pigmented (100% normal pigmented), NN x AA and AA x NN were 3:1. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the feed conversion ratio, since all had 0.05:1. Tere was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the percentage survival between NN x NN and AA x NN (66.65% and 66.66%) but there was significant difference (p<0.05) between AA x AA and NN x AA (55.6% and 60.65%).

Keywords: Fertilization, hatchability, growth, albino, normal, Clarias gariepinus