Author
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Ludwig, Gerald |
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Submitted to: Journal of Applied Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Baitfish farmers have a market for golden shiners 7 inches and over as bait for Florida strain largemouth bass and other large game fish. It takes two years to raise a golden shiner to that size. This is expensive and risky, the farmer could lose all the fish to disease or other dangers. Because of this there is a need for a baitfish that grows to the required size in one season. White and Spotted suckers are candidates for culture as a large baitfish. Historically brood stock for these species was obtained from the rivers during spring spawning runs. For practical culture captive broodstock is needed. It was not known if these fish could be induced to spawn after being held in captivitity for extended periods of time. This research demonstrated that both species could be induced to spawn following the injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Technical Abstract: White sucker, Catostomus commersoni, and spotted sucker, Minytrema melanops, maintained in earthen ponds from 9 to 12 months, were induced to spawn with injections of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at the rate of 1000 international units/kg for 3 to 5 days. White suckers, captured in Wisconsin and held in ponds in Arkansas, spawned at 16.7øC and from 4 to 6 weeks earlier than white suckers in natural streams in Wisconsin during 1993. Spotted suckers, captured in Arkansas, were induced to spawn at 18.1øC during the same time as those in natural Arkansas streams. Being able to spawn captive white and spotted suckers will relieve culturists of the need to continually obtain broodstock from wild sources during the spawning season. |
