Larval Development, Growth And Survival Of Laboratory Reared Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacepede)

Abstract

The early development and growth of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus larvae are described from laboratory – reared specimens. Fertilized eggs were collected from wild parental fish which were made to hatch inside bamboo tube. The larval length increased from 6.65mm at hatching to 16.50mm at the end of 10-days of endogenous feeding. Two ‘critical periods\' associated with high larval mortality were observed on the 3rd – 4th and 7th – 8th days after hatching. These two periods accounted for 46.40% of the total morality rate of 62.22%. A survival rate of 37.78% was recorded.

Keywords: Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, larval development, growth, survival

The Zoologist Vol. 6 2008: pp. 27-33