Determination of Growth Performance of Intergeneric Hybridization of Heterbranchus Longifilis and Clarias Anguillaris

Abstract

Experiment on intergeneric hybridization of Heterobranchus longifilis (H.l) and Clarias anguillars (C.a) was carried out at the Toxicology unit, Fish farm Federal university of technology (FUT) Minna to determine growth performance and survival of the bred hatchlings. Pure crossing of H.l (T1) C.a (T2) intergeneric crosses of male H.l with female C.a (T3) and male C.a with female H.l (T4) serve as treatments. Each treatment was replicated three times. Percentage fertilization for T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 16.66% 40.00% 16.66% and 40.00% respectively, percentage hatchability was 86.00% 22.22% 80.77% and 1.64% for T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively =. The bred hatchlings were maintained for 8 weeks and result shows that T2 had the highest percentage survival (85.80=12.9a) and differed significantly P(<0.05) from other treatment while T4 (100.00=00.00a) recorded no survivor and differed significantly P(<0.05) to their treatment in term of percentage mortality. Length – weight relationship shows negative allometric. Weight gain in T2 was (11.22=1.5a) and differed significantly P(<0.05) from other treatment. Heteroclarias (male H.I. crossed with female C.a) (T3) bred specie had the highest specific growth rate (SGR) 2.85=1.2a and it is therefore recommended for farmers to culture