Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #316260
Research Project: Genetics, Breeding and Reproductive Physiology to Enhance Production of Catfish

Location: Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit

Title: Effect of paternal blue catfish strain effects on hatchery fry production and performance of channel catfish X blue catfish F1 hybrid fry production and fingerling performance under commercial conditions

Author
item Chatakondi, Nagaraj
item YANT, ROGER - Harvest Select Farms
item DUNHAM, REX - Auburn University

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2016
Publication Date: 8/15/2016
Citation: Chatakondi, N.G., Yant, R.D., Dunham, R.A. 2016. Effect of paternal blue catfish strain effects on hatchery fry production and performance of channel catfish X blue catfish F1 hybrid fry production and fingerling performance under commercial conditions. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 78:301-306.

Interpretive Summary: Hatchery production of hybrid catfish fry has been inconsistent and decreases the hatching efficiency in catfish hatcheries. There is a need to optimize the protocols of hatchery production of hybrid catfish fry to improve the hybrid catfish fry production. Two domesticated strains of blue catfish: D&B and Rio Grande were sired with a select strain of channel catfish female to produce channel x blue hybrid catfish. Sire of male did not affect the hatchery production of hybrid catfish. However, D&B hybrid catfish fingerlings had a higher survival, reduced feed consumption and production. Results of this study suggest, hybrid catfish fry sired by D&B blue catfish male had a 11.3% increase fingerling survival, 9.6% lower feed conversion ratio, and 15.8% increased production compared to Rio Grande hybrid catfish under commercial pond conditions. This study suggests hybrid catfish sired by D&B strain of blue catfish promote survival, reduces feed conversion and increases fingerling production under commercial conditions despite minimal or no improvements in hatchery production.

Technical Abstract: Four hundred four-year old mature Gold Kist strain channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus were induced to spawn with 10 mg common carp pituitary extract (CPE) /kg BW in 8 spawning trials. The stripped eggs were fertilized with sperm of either D&B or Rio Grande blue catfish, I.furcatus to produce D&B or Rio Grande hybrid catfish embryos in a commercial catfish hatchery. Testes weight (g /kg BW) was higher (P<0.05) in Rio Grande 1.98+0.28) compared to D & B (1.02+ 0.12) blue catfish males. Reproductive parameters between Rio Grande and D&B hybrids did not differ. Approximately 100,000 hybrid catfish fry produced from each spawning trial were stocked in individual 0.4 ha pond to raise fingerlings. The average individual body weight between D&B hybrid and Rio Grande hybrid fingerling did not differ at 8 months of age. However, average survival (99.3%), production (8875 kg/ha), and feed conversion (1.14) of D&B hybrids were superior (P <0.05) to Rio Grande hybrid catfish fingerlings survival (88.0), production (7469 kg/ha) and feed conversion (1.25) raised in replicated ponds under farm conditions. Based upon equal hatchery production of hybrid catfish fry from the two sires, but better production by fingerlings sired by D&B male blue catfish, D & B males are recommended for mating with channel catfish females to produce hybrid catfish fingerlings.