Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus and Heterobranchus longifilis are two commercially important African catfish species that have been studied for their reproduction and breeding possibilities in the lagoon waters of Ivory Coast. C. nigrodigitatus is characterized by an annual reproductive cycle with a vitellogenesis period from March to June. The reproductive season coincides with the short rainy season which is characterized by lower water temperature and salinity at the beginning (September) and by a progressive rise of these parameters at the end of the season (November). The previtellogenic oocytes enter vitellogenesis at an average diameter of 320 μm. This initial oocyte stock is reconstituted progressively as soon as the spawning is achieved and lasts for a period of approximately 3 months. Fully vitellogenic oocytes reach an average diameter of 2.4–2.8 mm by the end of June. The maturation is possible only if a male and a female are confined in artificial spawning receptacles. Maturation and spawning generally occur within the following 3 to 5 weeks for 30 to 80% of the females. When the non-spawning females are kept in the nests they maintain fully vitellogenic oocytes for 3 months with a continuous atresia of the larger oocytes, while the ovaries of the non- spawning females, placed out of the receptacles, exhibit a complete atresia of all the vitellogenic oocytes. After an HCG-induced ovulation, a new reproductive cycle of H. longifilis can be achieved in less than a month. The previtellogenic oocytes enter vitellogenesis at an oocyte diameter of about 380 μm and become fully vitellogenic after 15 days (1.2–1.6 mm in diameter). If maturation is not artificially stimulated the females remain at the same stage of vitellogenesis while larger oocytes undergo atresia and are continuously replaced by growing vitellogenic oocytes.

The aim of this study was to monitor the reproductive cycle of female Heterobranchus longifilis under tropical pond conditions in order to optimize controlled spawning. Three experimental groups were set up: The first group (I) consisted of adult females transferred from their natural habitat to ponds. The second experimental group (II) consisted of breeders that adapted to husbandry conditions for at least one year. The third set of females (III) was produced under hatchery conditions. Females of the natural population served as controls. Over a one year period blood samples were taken from the individually marked females on a biweekly basis. If ripe eggs were found at the sampling time, females were stripped, the eggs were fertilized and hatched artificially. None of the feral breeders that were transferred to ponds during their natural breeding season could be stripped during that year. The breeding season of both groups II and III started in February. Seasonal changes in egg output showed a maximum between April and July. Egg production of group III was generally higher. The time interval between two strippings of the same female was 6 weeks. Viable eggs were obtained from the adapted feral breeders until August, whereas the breeding season of the hatchery-raised females extended to October. Two thirds of the hatchery-raised females were stripped four or more consecutive times. Throughout the entire season high hatching rates of normal larvae were obtained. Seasonal profiles of the gonadal steroids testosterone and estradiol-17β reflect the annual changes in sexual activity of female Heterobranchus longifilis in tropical pond culture, exhibiting maximum values during the breeding times of each group and being lowest during resting periods.

In captive Heterobranchus 1ongifilis females, oocytes maturation and ovulation are induced by a single injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) at a dose of 1.5 I.U./g body weight. In the present study, three experiments were performed in order to specify the timing of ovulation and the effects of varying latency period on the quantity and quality of the collected ova. The ova quality was estimated by hatching percentage and proportion of deformed larvae obtained after artificial fertilization. The results showed that, in an individual female, ovulation of postvitellogenic oocytes is not synchronous and takes 3 to 4 hours to be completed, between 7–8 h and 11 h after hCG injection at 30 °C. The quantity of ova that could be collected by handstripping increased with the latency period, from 18,000 ± 12,000 to 72,000 ± 29,000 ova per female at 8 h and 11 h after injection, respectively. However, the first ova obtained (8 h after injection) were of good quality (94% hatching) and showed no signs of incomplete final maturation. Eleven hours after injection, the percentages of ovulated oocytes within the whole ovarian population of postvitellogenic oocytes were high in all the females, being generally around 90%. After ovulation, aging of ova occurred rapidly: the proportion of deformed larvae increased significantly (from 4 to 20%) 2 h after completion of ovulation and, 4 h post-ovulation, hatching percentage dropped from 92 to 36%. In H. longifilis, the optimal latency period can be defined as the time, from injection to stripping, allowing the best compromise between quantity and quality of ova released. This latency period was found to be 11 h following hCG injection at 30 °C, and corresponds approximately to the completion of ovulation.

Survival of Silurus glanis ovulated oocytes (ova) measured by the capacity of normal development i.e. percentage of normal and abnormal hatched larvae after in vivo and in vitro storage and exposure to sperm activating or immobilizing solutions and urine was studied. In the case of ovulated oocytes left in the ovaries, total hatching and abnormal hatched larvae (in % of hatching) were respectively 74 and 8.2% immediately after ovulation, 77 and 8.6% after 2 h, 54 and 18% after 4 h, and 38 and 50% after 6 h of storage. Four and 6 h stay of ovulated oocytes in ovaries resulted in a significant increase of abnormal hatched larvae (p < 0.01). For the ova stored in vitro, the capacity to undertake a full embryonic development after fertilization was not significantly changed either after 8.5 h at 19 °C or 3.5 h at 25 °C; there was no ova survival at all after 3.5 h storage at 8 °C, 12 h at 19 °C and 8.5 h at 25 °C. There was a significant increase of abnormal larvae after 3.5 h at 25 °C (74%, p < 0.001) and after 8.5 h at 19 °C (37%, p < 0.05). Exposure of non inseminated ova to water buffered to pH 7.0 (5 mM Tris-HCl) to sperm activating solution (17 or 41 mM NaCl, 5 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0) or to immobilizing solution (200 mM NaCl, 30 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.0) resulted in a regular and rapid decrease of their capacity of development; this was 10% of normal hatched larvae within 4 min in water, and within 6-8 min in the NaCl solutions. A similar situation was observed after exposure to urine with a loss of embryonic development of 30% within 3 min. These results indicate that all steps of the whole procedure of gamete collection and artificial insemination should be carried out rapidly as soon as possible after ovulation.

Large numbers of female broodstock (Clarias macrocephalus) are required cach year to produce hybrid catfish which retain the materna1 meat quality of Thai walking catfish and the paternal fast growing and disease resistant traits of the African catfish (C1arias gariepinus). Therefore, diploid meiotic gynogens were induced in Thai walking catfish and their potential use for aquaculture was evaluated. Induction was performed using UV-irradiated sperm of stripped catfish (Pangasius sutchi) followed by either cold or heat shock at 4.5 min after activation. Heat shock at 42 °C for 1 min was the best among various heat shock regimes. Cold shock (7 °C for 14 min) gave significantly higher percentages of meiotic diploid fry (26-41%) than the heat shock (12-26%). Six-month-old meiotic gynogens were all female and showed slightly inferior growth to male and femalc controls. The six-month-old control-males and females and the gynogens were not different in size. Survival of the gynogens (73 ± 8 %) was slightly inferior to the mixed sex control (87 ± 10 %). Gonado-somatic index of gynogens at 1 year of age (5.7%) was slightly inferior to that of the control female (8.8 9%). Therefore, the direct use of all female meiotic gynogens to enhance production of Thai walking catfish, may be doubtful. However, their use for breeding purposes is promising providing that inbreeding depression is eliminated.

With the aim of improving dry diets for first feeding of Heterobranchus longifilis larvae, the effect of dietary lipid sources on growth rate, survival rate and fatty acid composition of fry from 2 days up to 17 days of age was evaluated. Six feeding regimes were tested: Artemia nauplii which served as a reference, and 5 experimental dry diets differing only by the lipid source. The different oils used for the different experimental diets were the following: cod liver oil, palm oil, copra oil, peanut oil and cotton seed oil. Each diet was tested on duplicate groups of 400 larvae placed in the 40 l tanks of a recirculating system (27-29 °C) and fed to excess six times per day every 4 hours. Separation and identification of the fatty acids of diets, eggs and fry were carried out by gas-liquid chromatography. After 15 days of feeding, survival rates were high for all treatments (71-87%) and did not differ significantly. By contrast, growth rates were largely influenced by the feeding regime. Fry fed with Artemia were significantly bigger (289 mg) than those fed artificial dry diets (79-115 mg). However, it was found that the specific growth rate of fry fed Artemia was superior to that of fry receiving dry diets only for fish of less than 50 mg body weight, indicating that Artemia presents a nutritional advantage only for fry at their youngest stages of development (first 6 days of feeding). Among the artificial dry diets, the best results were obtained with diets containing palm or copra oil, the lowest growth rate being observed with the cod liver oil diet. Peanut and cotton seed oil diets led to intermediate results. The fatty acid composition of the whole fry reflected that of the experimental diets. All together, the results indicated the existence of an optimal ratio between n-3 and n-6 fatty acids for covering essential fatty acids requirement of the fry. Growth rates tended to be reduced by an excess of n-3 fatty acids (cod liver oil) or by an excess in n-6 fatty acids (cotton seed oil) as well. Evidence of the occurrence of HUFA (20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3) biosynthesis are given.

L'étude du régime alimentaire de C. nigrodigitatus Lacépède (N = 646$) et C. auratus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (N = 253) a été réalisée d'après l'analyse des contenus stomacaux de poissons du lac Nokoué et de la lagune de Porto-Novo (Sud-Bénin) en 1990-1991. L'analyse factorielle de correspondance sur l'occurrence de 16 catégories de proies dans 21 catégories de poissons (suivant l'espèce, la taille des poissons, la saison et l'habitat) met en évidence la répartition des ressources alimentaires entre C. auratus et différentes catégories de tailles de C. nigrodigitatus capturés hors acadjas (enclos en branchages). Les indices d'abondance (Iab) et de volume (Iv) des proies et leur régularité (Rab et Rv) dans le régime alimentaire mettent en évidence la tendance benthophage des deux espèces : C. auratus (6-20 cm Ls) est beaucoup plus généraliste (Rv = 0,842) se nourrissant essentiellement de mollusques et de petits crustacés (branchiopodes, copépodes, ostracodes) par fouille du substrat. C. nigrodigitatus, en revanche, se spécialise avec l'âge et la taille (Rv = 0,826 à 0,597 de 6-10 cm à 6-20 cm Ls) vis-à-vis des décapodes (Iv de 13,4 à 49,4 %) et des poissons (œufs et alevins, Iv de 7,8 à 66,9 %). Les différences saisonnières concernent principalement la période des crues, au cours de laquelle les poissons se nourrissent de larves ou de nymphes d'insectes sur des végétaux de la plaine inondée. Dans les acadjas, les deux espèces partagent les mêmes ressources alimentaires. Cette étude de l'écologie trophique des Chrysichthys du complexe lagunaire du Sud-Bénin, mise en parallèle avec leurs potentialités de croissance, suggère que le régime alimentaire généraliste de C. auratus se situe dans un contexte de ségrégation sélective vis-à-vis de C. nigrodigitatus. La valeur adaptative des deux espèces dans un écosystème modifié et exploité par l'homme est brièvement discutée.

Deux expériences ont été réalisées pour tester la valeur alimentaire, pour le mâchoiron (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus), de dérivés de poissons de mer conservés par la méthode de l'ensilage. Le premier essai a concerné des déchets de conserveries de thons conservés par la méthode de l'ensilage acide (3 % d'acide formique). L'hydrolysat, renfermant 66,7 % de protéines brutes (N × 6,25) sur la base de la matière sèche (MS) a été incorporé dans un aliment expérimental en substitution à la farine de poisson sur une base iso-azotée. Les aliments ont été distribués à 6 lots de 50 mâchoirons, d'un poids initial de 34 g, pendant 56 jours à raison de 3 % (sec) du poids vif. Les performances zootechniques procurées par cet aliment sont meilleures, pour ce qui concerne le gain de poids (0,86 g.j−1) et l'indice de consommation (IC : 1,79) et le coefficient d'efficacité protéique (CEP: 1,46), par rapport à celles obtenues avec l'aliment témoin (pas de différence significative). Lors du deuxième essai il a été réalisé un complexe hydrocarboné à base de maïs pour conserver des sardinelles broyées par fermentation lactique. Ce mélange (coensilage), à pH stabilisé à 4,18, et renfermant 35,65 %, de protéines brutes (N × 6,25) en matière sèche (MS), a également été testé contre un témoin farine de poisson dans des conditions expérimentales identiques à celles décrites plus haut. L'aliment à base de coensilage a procuré de meilleurs gains, de poids (0,94 g.j−1, IC (1,77) et CEP (1,61) que l'aliment témoin. Les produits de la pêche ou leurs dérivés conservés par la méthode de l'ensilage acide ou du coensilage biologique apparaissent ainsi constituer une bonne source azotée pour l'alimentation du mâchoiron.

Two 12-week feeding experiments were conducted in aquaria with juvenile blue catfish, Ictalurusfurcatus. In experiment 1, juvenile (6 g) blue catfish were fed one of four isonitrogenous (34% protein) and isocaloric (10.0 kJ of digestible energy/g of diet) diets containing 13, 9, 4, and 0% menhaden fish meal. Soybean meal was added in increasing percentages (48, 55, 62, and 69%) to the respective diets. Fish were fed all they would consume in 40 minutes twice daily (08:00 and 16:00). After 12 weeks, fish fed a diet with 13% fish meal had a significantly higher individual body weight than fish fed any of the other diets. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in body weights of fish fed the other four diets. No significant differences were found in percentage survival, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio among treatments. In experiment 2, blue catfish (9 g) were fed one of five isonitrogenous (35% protein) and isocaloric (10.5 kJ of digestible energy/g of fiet) diets. Diet 1 contained 15% menhaden fish meal and 42% soybean meal. Diets 2-5 contained 0% fish meal and 69% soybean meal with various (0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9%) percentages of added L-methionine. Fish were fed as in experiment 1. After 12 weeks, individual weight, weight gain, survival, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among treatments and averaged 36 g, 302%, 100%, l.6%/day, and 2.4, respectively. Whole-body compositions of fish were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among treatments and averaged 61% and 27% for percentage protein and fat, respectively. These data indicate that soybean meal can totally replace fish meal in a diet for blue catfish without supplemental L-methionine. This may allow producers to feed more economical diets without adverse effects on growth and survival.

Trois niveaux trophiques ont été expérimentalement étudiés chez le silure africain Heterobranchuslongifilis. Au cours d'un 1er essai, des poissons d'un poids moyen initial de 60 g ont été rationnés (1 % du poids vif) pendant trois semaines puis alimentés pendant 3 semaines soit ad libitum soit à 3 % du poids vif. Leur croissance a été comparée à celle de poissons nourris en permanence soit en excès soit à raison de 3 % du poids vif. Si le poids vif final des lots ayant subi une restriction est inférieur à celui de leurs homologues alimentés à taux constant, les résultats indiquent que la restriction alimentaire induit ultérieurement une croissance spécifique significativement supérieure, et un indice de consommation meilleur. Cette croissance compensatrice est due à la fois à une hyperphagie et à une amélioration du métabolisme. Un effet positif de l'hyperphagie est encore noté pendant les deux semaines suivantes. Lors de la 2e expérience, des silures d'un poids moyen initial de 141 g ont été nourris pendant 10 semaines soit à un taux constant de 4 % du poids vif, soit alternativement à un taux de 2 % du poids vif pendant une semaine, puis alimentés pendant une semaine à raison de 4 ou 5 % du poids vif. Au terme de l'essai, les poids moyens ne sont pas significativement différents. Les indices de consommation les meilleurs (1,79) sont notés pour les poissons ayant subi l'alternance avec un niveau haut analogue au témoin (45 %). Lors d'une 3e expérience, des silures, d'un poids moyen initial de 340 g ont été nourris pendant 5 mois, soit au taux constant de 3 % du poids vif, soit de façon alternée à 2 et 4 % du poids vif sur la base d'un pas de 15 jours en tenant compte des phases lunaires. Au terme de l'expérience, les poids moyens finaux ont varié de 977 à 1 127 g, tandis que les indices de consommation variaient de 2,1 à 2,5. Les meilleures performances, pour l'ensemble des critères utilisés sont notées pour les lots nourris à 2 % du poids vif en lune descendante, puis à 4 % en lune montante. Chez les poissons nourris de façon restreinte, en période de lune montante, la croissance est minimale. Pour valoriser le phénomène de croissance compensatrice ainsi mis en évidence chez le silure on peut recommander une restriction alimentaire, durant des périodes de 1 semaine. En revanche, tirer bénéfice de l'hyperphagie ne semble pas profitable.

The paper summarizes aspects of nutrition and growth in Clarias species. Of the many Clarias species cultured, Clarias gariepinus has been subject to particularly intensive research; the species has been widely introduced for aquaculture outside its natural range. Clarias are omnivorous fish. Their dietary protein requirements are about 40%, their energy requirements range between 13 and 17 kJ.g−1. Controversy exists on their ability to utilize carbohydrates, despite the fact that their natural feed may contain high levels of carbohydrates. Comparison of growth performances as recorded in literature indicate that C. gariepinus seems to perform better in terms of growth rates and feed conversion than other species (C. isheriensis, C. batrachus, C. fuscus). Monosex culture (in C. gariepinus) or triploidy (in C. gariepinus and C. batrachus) do not seem to hold much future for improving growth and feed utilization, in contrast to hybridization. Selection for improved growth could have drawbacks, such as an increased level of agression. To achieve improved growth, selection for lower maintenance requirements or better glucose metabolization seems preferable over selection for high feed utilization efficiencies.