CATFISH BROOD STOCK MAINTAINANCE BEFOR BREEDING

Channel catfish brood stock are
easy to maintain in pond culture,
and spawning efficiency is
reasonably good without any
special manipulation of
environmental conditions or the need for hormone treatments.
Although channel catfish may
mature at 2 years, they must be at
least 3 years old and weigh at least 3 pounds for reliable spawning. Fish 4 to 6 years old, weighing between 4 and 8 pounds are considered prime spawners. Older fish produce fewer eggs per body weight and larger fish may have difficulty entering the containers commonly used as nesting sites. Brood stock are maintained at relatively low standing crops (less
than 2,000 pounds/acre) to provide good environmental conditions and minimize suppression of spawning by overcrowding. Brood fish are seined from ponds and
inspected every year or two. Large fish, which may be poor spawners, are culled and replaced with smaller, younger brood fish.
Periodic inspection of brood fish also provides an opportunity for
adjusting the sex ratios within
brood populations. Spawning activity will begin in the
spring when water temperatures
are consistently around 75º F.
Spawning occurs over a period of
several hours as several layers of
adhesive eggs are deposited in spawning containers. Females
between 4 and 8 pounds typically
lay between 3,000 and 4,000 eggs
per pond body weight. Spawning
success (percentage of females
spawning) ranges from 30 to 80 percent each year, and depends
mainly on the condition and age of the female brood fish and water temperatures during the spawning season. Nesting containers are checked
every 2 or 3 days for the presence
of eggs. The eggs collected from
the brood pond are placed in an
insulated, aerated container and
transported to the hatchery.
FOR CONSULTANCY CALL 08032861326.

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