Comparative Study of the Reproductive and Early Life Growth Performance of Three Stocks of the African Catfish, Clarias Gariepinus, (Burchell, 1822) In Ghana.

Abstract

A comparative study was carried out into the reproductive and early life growth performance of three stocks of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822) in Ghana under pond culture system at Aquaculture Research and Development Center (ARDEC) in Akosombo in the Eastern Region from January, 2009 to October, 2009. Broodstocks of C. gariepinus were collected from Kumah Farms in Kumasi (Ashanti Region), the Pacific Farms in Ashaiman (Greater Accra Region) and ARDEC at Akosombo (Eastern Region). The broodstocks were used for artificial propagation under more controlled conditions including; stripping of eggs, collection of the sperm, followed by fertilization and incubation of eggs. The fries were stocked at 2000 fries per 200 m2 pond (10 fries per lm2) in six fenced experimental ponds at an average weight of 0.003 g and harvested at an average weight of 3.304 g after six weeks pond culture for five consecutive times. Differences in fecundity (P = 0.592) and gonado-somatic index (P = 0.114) as well as specific growth rate (P = 0.163), condition factor (P = 0.345) and survival rates (P = 0.601) among the three stocks were all not statistically significant. Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen and pH ranges from 30.88.0.75 to 31.15.0.87, 4.28.2.34 to 4.99.2.45 and 6.18.0.15 to 6.98.0.61 respectively. These water quality parameters taken were all within the conducive ranges for the culture of the fish species. No statistical difference was found among the mean weight of ARDEC stock (3.496 g). Pacific farms stock (3.304 g) and Kumah farms stock (3.256 g) indicating that C. gariepinus grows at approximately the same rate regardless of its geographical location. This implies that fish farmers can reduce cost and save time and resources as they rely on the nearest fish seed (fingerlings) for stocking.