NATIONAL SEMINAR ON FISH BIOLOGY March 17 to 19, 1997 ABSTRACTS mma DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY (DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL ASSISTANCE. UGC) VISVA-BHARATI UNIVERSITY SANTINIKETAN-731 235 WEST BENGALNational Seminar on Fish Biology, 1997 NTG 4 FOOD, FEEDING HABIT AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF AN EXOTIC CATFISH, CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL) UNDER INDIAN CONDITION B.K. Mahapatra, N.C. Datta*, P. Chatterjee, ‘A.K. Dewanjee* and D. Saha RK. Ashram Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nimpith, South 24-parganas, West Bengal, Pin-743 338 “Fishery & Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology Calcutta University, Calcutta-700 019 The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus was unofficially introduced to eastern India, specially West Bengal, during 1994-95. Due to easy availabilty ofits seeds, hardy and domesticable nature, the farmers of the Sundarbans spontaneously took up the culture of this exotic catfish. In order to identify and ascertain the preferred food items, feeding rate and growth performance of C. garicpinus, several experiments were carried out in the farm of KVK, Nimpith, Study show that the fish is highly carnivorous and feeds voraciously on different types of protein food of animal origin including small fish, chicken or goat entrails, molluscan flesh, earthwornt, small insects, etc. Demand feeding shows that the fish’consumes almost at the rate of 50% of its body weight per day at an early stage and thereafter there is a gradual decline in feeding rate w hich is maintained at 10% on reaching adulthood. It has also been observed that the small fry of about 0.4 g allains an average weight of 275.5 g after 13 weeks of rearing. It 1s evident from the study that the fish shows higher growth performanceNational Seminar on Fish Biology, 1997. RSP 13 STUDIES ON THE MATURITY AND BREEDING OF THE BIGHEAD CARP, ARISTICHTHYS NOBILIS (RICHARDSON) B.K. Mahapatra and N.C. Datta* RK. Ashram Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nimpith Ashram South 24-parganas, W.B. *Fishery & Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Calcutta University, Calcutta-700 019 Maturity of Aristichthys nobilis is studied based on 564 samples of length range between 300 mm to 650 mm during February 1989 to-June, 1993. Seven stages of maturity of A. nobilis are identified, characterised and described. Different stages of maturation are determined by colour and size of the gonads, gonadosomatic index (GSI), the size and microscopic appearance of ova. The fish attains first maturity at 440-550 mm and 1000-2000 g in males and 540-610 mm and 2000-3000 g in females. Attainment of first maturity occurs when the male is 1-2 years and female is 2-3 years old. High values of gonadosomatic index (GS1) are found from March to July, with a peak at June and July showing its top gonadal maturity and breeding season. Although the fish do not breed in closed system, it readily responds to hypophysation and HCG. The dosage of pituitary given was 16-22 mg/kg body weight in female and 4-6 mg/kg body weight in male and HCG applied was 400-600 IU in case of female and 100-150 IU in case of male per ky body weight. Successful spawning was obtained in both the cases.