Induced breeding of asian striped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus under farmer participatory mode in Punjab

Asian striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) is considered one of the major food fish with huge potential for vertical and horizontal development of aquaculture sector in India. Present study was conducted in a farmer’s participatory mode, as off campus trial, with the major objectives to disseminate the breeding and seed rearing technology of Pangas catfish. For the said purpose, 4 yr+ brood stock, reared by GADVASU after 4 yr of over wintering under poly house condition, was provided to the farmers. The fish was induced to breed using carp pituitary gland as an inducing agent. Pituitary hormone extract in female was administered intramuscularly @ 2.5 - 3.0 mg/kg body weight (BW) as priming dose and after 6 hr second resolving dose @10-12 mg/kg BW was injected. While male was injected with pituitary hormone @ 2.5 - 3.0 mg/kg BW at the time of second injection to the female. After 12-17 hr, of hormone injection, female and male were striped for external fertilization through dry method. Relative fecundity ranged between 0.80-0.95 lakh eggs/kg BW, while fertilization and hatching rate ranged between 75-85 and 55-65 per cent, respectively, with fry recovery rate of 18-20 per cent after 15 d of nursery rearing. The said breakthrough could solve the problem of non- availability of Pangas catfish seed in North Indian states and motivate the farmers to adopt the Pangas culture on large scale with locally available seed.