Captive breeding for conservation of Dussumier’s Catfish (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Clariidae: Clarias dussumieri) a Near Threatened endemic catfish of peninsular India

Abstract

The peninsular Indian endemic Dussumier’s Catfish Clarias dussumieri once abundant in the wetlands and other water bodies of Kerala is now in rapid decline. The present paper focuses on an approach towards the conservation of this rare catfish through artificial propagation. Fishes were bred in captivity by the administration of fish pituitary extract at the rate of 20–40 mg.kg-1. Spawning occurred after 12–14 hr of injection and fertilized eggs hatched after 16:30hr. Larval rearing was carried out in cement cisterns and the larvae attained a mean size of 51.6±1.6mm in 60 days. Since brooders of this species have become extremely rare in nature, the present study on captive breeding by hormonal manipulation methods without sacrificing the male fishes, assumes significance for conserving this endemic species.

Keywords

• clarias dussumieri
• endemic catfish
• fish pituitary extract
• hatching
• induced breeding.