Journal of the Indian Fisheries Association 125

28, 2001, 125-129

STUDIES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF 'OVATIDE' - ON BREEDING OF

INDIAN MAJOR CARPS

SIDDHARTHA S. MISHRA, PRASENJIT PRADHAN, NARESH C. DUTTA *

AND SUSANTA K. CHAKARABORTY
Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapor, West Bengal. 721102
*Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta. 35-B.C. Road, Calcutta - 70019.

ABSTRACT
The paper deals with the experimental studies on breeding of Indian
Major Carps- Catla catla (Valenciennes), Labeo rohita (Hamilton), Cirrhinus
mrigala (Hamilton), & Labeo calbasu (Hamilton) with the help of 'Ovatide'
which is being used as an alternative inducing agent for commercial seed
production. This study has been conducted for six consecutive months (April
-September, 2000) in a stone-pitched breeding channels of a farm located at
Midnapore District, West Bengal. The doses of 'Ovatide' (0.5 mllkg of fish
weight) remained same for each female species during the entire study period
and males were released without any dose. The physicochemical parameters
of water during different months were estimated. The latency period and
fertilization percentage varied in different months and species. The results
confirmed that 'Ovatide' can be used successfully in a much more cost-effective
way for induced breeding of carps, even in rural fish farms with morrum-
pitched breeding channels.
Keywords : Induced breeding, Indian Major Carps, Ovatide

In recent years aquaculture has been 1979; Peter et al. 1988; Lin et al. 1991 b).
recognised as an important strategy for To mitigate this problem of getting good
meeting the growing demands of fish quality gland in proper time for
protein all over the world. For the rapid hypophysation vis a vis finding out an
development and expansion of aquaculture effective substitute of pituitary glands,
industry, the steady supply of good quality investigations have been conducted by
seeds oftarget fish species is required. The different workers with synthetic
seeds collected from natural breeding gonadtrophin releasing hormone (GnRH)
gTOUllds are not sufficient to meet the analogs 'Ovaprim' (Nandeesha et al. 1990
growing demand. Therefore hatchery a and b; Roy, 1996) and 'Ovatide' (Reddy
production of seeds through controlled and Thakur, 1998). The aim of the present
reproduction taking into consideration of investigation is to study the effect of
environmental and biological parameters 'Ovatide' - an inducing agent to increase
have been in practice (Harvey and Hoar, the spawning capacity of Indian Major
126 NOTES

Carps, mainly Catla catla (Valenciennes), applying slight pressure on the abdomen.
Labeo rohita (Hamilton), Cirrhinus Similarly, females were classified as
mrigala (Hamilton), and Labeo calbasu ovulated when no natural spawning had
(Hamilton) in a morrum pitched breeding taken place an the eggs were oozing out in
channels of a fish farm ofMidnapore District, such cases with slight pressure on the
West Bengal, India. abdomen. The quantity of eggs was
estimated by collecting eggs with a cotton
cloths and then placed in a container with
The experiments were conducted in certain capacity. The physico-chemical
Mondal Fish Farm located at village parameters of water were determined
Khakurda, Dist. Midnapore, West Bengal, following standard methods (APHA-1995).
India, where fishes were spawned in
morrum pitched breeding channels and
subsequently seeds were transferred to From this experimental study, the
cement cistern. Males and females carps spawning response was found to be 100%
were selected based on external secondary for all the culturable species during July,
sexual characters (Jhin). Only the females while results showed same outcome for the
of four species (Catla catla, Labeo rohita, month of June excepting L. calbasu. No
Cirrhinus mrigala & Labeo calbasu) were such response was recorded during
injected intramuscularly at the shoulder September for C. mrigala and L. calbasu
·region near the base of the dorsal fin and for L. rohita in the month of April. The
(Jhingran, 1991). 10vatide 1 a synthetic maximum quantity of eggs and healthy
GnRH analog and dopamine antagonists, larvae, were produced in the month of July
were injected at a dose of0.5 ml/kgpriorto followed by June, May and August for all
the spawning (Vth stage of maturity) during culturable species. Percentage. of
the entire period of study (April to September fertilization did not reveal any striking
2000). Females and males were released in difference among species and months (Table
the breeding channels and water flow was 1). pH was found to be more alkaline during
initially maintained for two hours and then the months of June-September when
with an interval of half an hour depending dissolved Oxygen, total Hardness, alkalinity
on the prevailing environmental conditions and conductivity showed higher values
(temperature, humidity, precipitation, etc.). (Table 2). The latest development of induced
The breeding tests were conducted by breeding technique for enhancing
releasing female and male in ratio of 1:2. commercial aquafarming holds great
Fishes were examined for breeding response promise as revealed from this investigation
after 6 hours of injection at an interval of which has clearly shown the potential of
two hours. The percentage of fertilization synthetic peptide analogs to GnRH
was calculated using samples of eggs. The combined with dopamine antagonist. The
extent of spawning was recorded by positive response of all species especially by
examining spawned females. The females Labeo rohita and Labeo calbasu with a
were recognised as partially spawned when single dose of0.5 ml/kg. to only females, is
a large number of eggs oozed out freely by very significant for commercial seed
Table 1 : Details of experimental results conducted with 'Ovatide' for induced spawning oflndian major carps.

Species Months Female Male Dose of Time Spawing Time of Quantity of %of Number %of
Number Weight Number Weight Injection Response egg laying Eggs fertilization of larvae larvae
(Kg) (Kg) (No. & (Liter & No.)
Weight)
Catla catla Apr. 3 4.5 6 4.25 0.5m1/kg 6-30 1(1.5kg) 11.30 pm. 1.5 (30,000) 90 18,000 60
(valenciennes) May 3 4.5 6 6.5 p.m. 3(4.5kg) 11.30 pm. 22 (4,40,000) 90 3,52,000 80
June 3 6 ; 6 10 3(5kg) 11.30 pm. 30 (6,00,000) 92 4,80,000 80
July 3 5 6 8 3(5kg) 12.15 am. 36 (7,20,000) 93 6,33,600 88
r
Aug 3 4.5 6 7 2(2.8kg) lam. 12 (2,40,000) 91 1,56,000 65
Sep 3 5.8 6 9 1(2kg) 2am. 5 (1,00,000) 90 50,000 50
Labio rohitt;L Apr. 3 2.5 6 3.9 0.5 mllkg 6-40 - - - - - -
(Hamilton) May 3 3 6 4.8 p.m. 2(1.8kg.) 12 am. 15 (3,10,000) 90 2,48,000 80
June 3 3.2 6 4.8 3(4kg) 12 am. 28 (5,60,000) 91 5,04,000 90 z0
July 3 4 6 6 3(4kg) 12.30 am. 36 (7,20,000) 95 6,76,000 94 "":3
t_:!:j
Aug 3 3.5 6 5.5 2(2.4kg) 1.15 am. 8 (1,60,000) 93 1,20,000 75 rn
r
Sep 3 3.6 6 5 1(1.5kg) 4am 4.5 (90,000) 85 58,000 65
Cirrhinus Apr. 3 2 6 2.4 0.5 mllkg 6-50 2(1.2kg) 12 am. >1.5 (35,000) 90 17,500 50
mrigala May 3 1.8 6 3 p.m. 2(1.2kg) 2am. 8 (1,60,000) 90 1,28,000 80
(Hamilton) June 3 2.2 6 3.4 3(2.5kg) 12.50 am. 13 (2,60,000) 85 2,08,000 80
July 3 2.4 6 4.8 3(2.4kg) 12.15 am. 20 (4,00,000) 90 3,33,200 83.3
Aug 3 3 6 4.8 l(lkg) lam. 7 (1,40,000) 90 91,000 65
Sep 3 2.1 6 4.8 - - - - - -
Labio Apr. 3 1 6 2.4 0.5 mllkg 7-00 2(lkg) 12 am. 1.(20,000) 90 12,000 60
calbasu May 3 1.5 6 2.4 rp.m. 3(1.5kg) lam. 8 (1,60,000) 92 1,36,000 85
(Hamilton) June 3 1.6 6 2.4 2(1 kg) 12 am. 10 (2,00,000) 90 1,80,000 90
July 3 1.7 6 3.2 3(1. 7kg) 1.20 am. 8 (1,60,000) 92 1,50,000 93.75
Aug 3 1.3 6 2.8 1(0.4kg) 2am. 2 (40,000) 93 30,000 75
~
Sept. 3 1.1 6 2 - - - - - -
,.....
tv
-..l
128 NOTES

Table 2 : Water quality parameters of Breeding channel during study period

(April- September 2000)

Parameters April May June July August September

Temperature (a c) 30 30 29 29 29 28
pH 7.3 7.4 7.8 8.2 8 7.8
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) 7 7.5 8 9.5 9 9
Free Co2 (mg/l) 10.2 12.1 9.7 9.4 8.2 8.9
Conductivity (mMho) 0.29 0.31 0.28 0.32 0.28 0.32
Chloride (mg!l) 60.02 53.01 41.2 35.8 33.1 34.08
Alkalinity(mg/l as CaCo3) 100 120 127 129 128 129
Total Hardness (mg/l) 142 140 161 160 165 182

production. However, the ecological factors Environment Federation. Standard

which act as extrinsic stimuli (Harvey and methods for the examination of water
Hoar, 1979) on the reproduction ofteleost and waste water. 19th Edition~
fishes played significant role as best results Washington. DC. 20005.
were observed in the present study during
Harvey, B.J. and W.S.Hoar, 1979. The
June-August in comparison to other three
theory and practice of induced breeding
months.
in fish. IDRC-TX21e. p 48.

Jhingran, V.G. 1969 Review of the present

The authors express their gratitude to status ofknowledge on induced breeding
Shri Gour Hari Mandai, Proprietor of of fishes and problems for future
Mandai fish farm, Khakurda, Midnapore, . research. F AOIUNDP Regional
W.B. for his help in conducting seminar on Induced Breeding of
experiments. Thanks are also due to Shri Cultivated fishes. Fri I IBCF I 27,
Pulin Patra for his assistance during the p30.(mimeo)
study period. The first two authors are
Jhingran, V.G. 1991. Fish and Fisheries
grateful to D.S.T.& N.E.S., Govt. ofW.B.
of India. In : V.G. Jhingran (Ed).
for providing financial assistance.
Hindustan Publishing Corporation,
India. p. 359.

REFERENCES Lin, H-R., Zhang, M-L., Zhang, S-M.,

Vander Kraak, G. and Peter, R.E.
APHA American Public Health
199lb. Stimulation of pituitary
Association. 1995. American Water
gonadotropin and ovarian development
Works Association and Water
 NOTES 129

by chronic administration of Peter, R.E., Lin, H.R. and Kraak, G.

testosterone in female Japanese silver Vander. 1988b. Induced ovulation and
eel,Anguillajaponica. Aquaculture, 96: spawning of cultured freshwater fish
87-95. in China: Advances in application of
GnRH analogues and dopamine
Nandeesha, M.C., Keshavanath, P.,
antagonists. Aquaculture, 74: 1-10.
Varghese, T.J., Shetty, H.P.C. and
Gopal Rao, K. 1990a. Alternate Reddy, A.K. and Thakur, N.K. 1998.
inducing agents for carp breeding: Ovatide - a new hormonal preparation
Progress in research. In Keshavanath, for induced fish breeding. Fishing
P. and Radhakrishnan, K.V. (eds): Carp Chimes., 18(4) : 28-30.
seed production technology. Special
Roy, P.K. 1996. "Observation on the use
publication, Asian Fisherias Soc.,
of Ovaprim for Induced spawning of
Indian Branch, 2: 12-15.
Indian Major Carps", Advances in fish
Nandeesha, M.C., Gopal Rao, K. and wildlife Ecology and Biology.
Jayanna, R.N., Parkar, N.C., Published by Bansilal Kaul, 1:65-67.
Varghese, T.J., Keshavanath, P.
Tripathi, S.D. and Bhimachar, B.S.
and Shetty, H.P.C. 1990b. Induced
1972. Hypophysation of fishes with
spawning of Indian Major Carps
Particular Reference to India, 80p.
through single application of ovaprim-
J abalpur. The Directorate ofResearch
C. In Hirano, R. and Hanyo, I. (eds):
Services, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi
Proc. Second Ascian Fisheries Forum,
Vishva Vidyalaya.
p. 581-585.
Tripathi, S.D. ~nd Khan, H.A. 1990.
Peter R.E., Lin, H.R. and Kraak, G.
Carp seed production technology - A
Van der.1988a. Induced spawning in
review. In P. Keshavanath, and K.V.
Chineses carps. Proceedings of the
Radhakrishnan, (eds) : Carp seed
Aquaculture International Congress
production Technology. Special
and Exposition, Aquaculture
Publication, Asian Fish Soc., Indian
International Congress, Vancouver,
Branch, 2: 1-11.
B.C., p. 543-547.