Comparison of growth performance of gynogenetic female, gynogenetic neo-male and normal mixed-sex silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) in earthen ponds

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to compare the growth performance of gynogenetic females and gynogenetic neo-males with mixed-sex silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) in six earthen ponds for a period of 120 days. Three treatments i.e. T1 (Gynogenetic female), T2 (Gynogenetic neo-male) and T3 (mixed-sex, control) each having two replicates were stocked with 60 fish/decimal. During stocking the mean length and weight of fishes were 5.83±0.12 cm and 2.72±0.10 g, 5.85±0.12 cm and 2.77±0.12 g and 5.79±0.16 cm and 2.66±0.16 g, in T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The fishes were reared with a commercial fish feed (Mega Feed) of different types such as pre-starter (36% crude protein) for the first 42 days, starter (32% protein) for the second 42 days and grower (32% protein) for the last 36 days. Water quality parameters were measured and found in optimal levels for fish culture. A significantly highest (p< 0.05) weight gain was observed in T1 and lowest in T3, and T2 was much closer to T1 and not significantly (p> 0.05) different. Similar trend was also observed in other growth parameters such as final length, final weight, % weight gain, average daily gain and specific growth rate among the treatments. However, no significant difference (p>0.05) was observed for survival among the treatments. The significantly highest (p>0.05) gross and net production was observed in T1 (1219.62±23.29 and 1178.83±22.33 kg/ha/120 days) and lowest in T3 (1029.38±22.44 and 989.54±21.30 kg/ha/120 days) and no significantly different (p> 0.05) was observed for the production between T1 and T2. Considering the growth performance of silver barb, it can be concluded that the gynogenetic females and neo-males possess higher production potentiality and thus generation of all-female population using neo-males would be an effective approach for accelerating fish production.