Effects of different dietary levels of vitamin E on the ovarian development and breeding performances of <i>Clarias batrachus</i> (Linnaeus)

Abstract

To observe the effects of vitamin E on the ovarian development and breeding performances of Clarias batrachus an experiment was conducted in two phases. The first phase concentrated on studying the effects of vitamin E on ovarian development and the second phase on breeding performances. Eighty female C. batrachus broodfish were stocked in 8 cisterns (2.38 × 1.45m² each) divided into 4 treatments each having two replicates. Each of the cistern was stocked with 10 females. The fish were fed with feed having different levels of vitamin E viz. 0 mg (served as control), 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg vitamin E/kg feed for 3 months to study the effects of vitamin E on the growth and ovarian development of C. batrachus broodfish. It was found that growth in terms of body weight of fish fed with 200 mg vitamin E/kg feed (under T₄) was higher, while 50 mg vitamin E/kg feed (under T₂) gave the poorest result. There was no significant difference among different treatments. Gonadosomatic index and fecundity were highest in fish treated with 100 mg vitamin E/kg feed (under T₃), but there was no significant difference among the treatments. After rearing for 3 months fish were used for induction of breeding to study breeding performance. A pituitary gland (PG) dose of 100 mg/kg body weight was used in all treatments. Ovulation rate was 100% in females of all treatments. In case of fertilization and hatching rate the highest result (88.33±2.51 and 82.33±3.05 respectively) was obtained in T₂ (50 mg vitamin E / kg feed), but there was no significant difference between T₂ and T₃. The overall result of this experiment indicates that 50 mg vitamin E/kg feed is the best dose for the breeding performance of female C. batrachus broods.

Keywords: Clarias batrachus; Vitamin E; Ovarian development; Breeding performance; Larval growth

DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v7i1.4983

J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 7(1): 183-191, 2009