Main Article Content
Relationships of chemical composition, quantity of milt to fertility and hatchability of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822).
Abstract
buildup of pollutants as the quantity of milt increased. Biochemical analysis of milt showed that glucose at a concentration of 8585±6.05mg/l is the major organic substance that supplies the spermatozoa with energy. Sodium and chloride are the major electrolytes with 113:7±0.88 mg/l and 100± 1.73mg/l respectively and the pH of the milt was 6.2±0.17mg/l. The albumin content was low, with a mean value of 1.3±0.9mg/l. The glucose level was high having a mean value of 85.0±6.08mg/l and the cholesterol level was equally high with a mean value of 188.0± 13.67mg/l. The
triglyceride content of the milt was high having a value of 202±19.88mg/l. The highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol was low, with a mean value of 13± 6.01 when compared with the low density lipoprotein cholesterol which had a mean value of 134 ± 11.37. There was low motility of sperm in fish milt which may be due to a number of factors ranging from exposure to light, to low pH and aerobic breakdown of glucose to supply energy for the spermatozoan (which is very low).