Golden Jubilee National Seminar on Diversification of Aquaculture Through Locally Available Fish Species nama. Though efforts are being made in different locations to breed these fishes, the success is yet far frorn commercial reality. BREEDING AND REARING OF INDIGENOUS ORNAMENTAL BARBS PUNTIUS SHALYNIUS AND PUNTIUS SOPHORE OF NE INDIA B.K. Mahapatra Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Deemed University (ICAR), Kolkata Centre, Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata — 700 091. bkmahapatra2007@yahoo.co.in The Shalyni barb, Puntius shalynius and the Sophore barb, Puntius sophore are two of the important ornamental fish species of North East India. In shalyni barb, males are more blackish when compared to females and the fins except the caudal fin are jet black in’ males. The females are larger when compared to males and have a rounded belly while the males are generally smaller and slender. In sophore barb fins hyaline in mature females. Anal and pelvic fins brick-red in mature males. The females are larger when compared to males and have a rounded belly while the males are generally smaller and slender. After proper acclimatization and maintenance, the domesticated broud stock were selected for the breeding experiments. Two separate breeding experiments were conducted under captive condition i.e. Natural breeding and Induced breeding. In Natural Breeding - the species can easily breed in aquarium tank. Prior to breeding the gravid male and female were kept in separate glass aquarium at least for a week for developing sexual affinity. Breeding tanks were cleaned and disinfected with KMn04, dried up and filled with water. Since the eggs of the studied puntius species fish are sticky in nature, usually plastic or nylon threads are used as mats. The spawning tank contained about 18 cm of water with a steady temperature of 26-29°C, and gentle aeration. A water PH of around 7.0 was maintained which gave good results. The fishes when conditioned on a good variety of diets including live feed for about two weeks were ready for breeding. After proper conditioned the gravid male (6 nos.) and female (4 nos.) were put together in each breeding tank (60em*30cm*30cm). Generally within one or two days female laid eggs which may attached with the nylon mat. After the egg laying is over the parents may taken out of the breeding tank. The eggs hatch out within 24-26 hours at a temperature of 26-30°C. Organized by CIFE, Kolkata Centre on 27-28 August, 2010 92Golden Jubilee National Seminar on Diversification of Aquaculture Through Locally Available Fish Species In induced breeding-after selection of ripe brooders through secondary sexual characters, they were kept in spawning tank. In the present study the weight of female varied between 4.0 to 5.0 gm in Puntius shalynius where as in Puntius sophore it was 8 to 10 gm. As the ovaprim required for injection was very small a very low dilution of ovaprim was injected using distilled water. In Shalyni barb and Sophore barb 100 times dilution were used. The optimum dose of ovaprim was standardized on the basis of three experiments, i.e. fecundity in different doses, physio-biological response to spawning with doses and fertilization rate (%) in different doses. The highest no. of eggs were 1285 in Shalyni barb and 1580 of eggs in Sophore barb at dose 0.40ml/kg body weight of fish. The hatchlings took 44-46 hrs to absorb their yolk sac. The percentage of hatching varied from 63 - 71%. They spawn were fed with green water and infusorians for 4 days. Subsequently sieved small zooplankton and chopped tubifex worms were fed for a week. After that they were fed with larger plankton and powdered formulated feed. A supplementary feed composition comprising of 60% maize, 15% groundnut oil cake, 10% rice polish, 8% fish meal, 5% of soya meal and 2% mineral mixture was found to have a better acceptance. Spawn were raised initially in small plastic tub for 6 days (@ 50 per litre) and then transferred to glass aquaria where they reared for 12 days (@ 25 per litre). Finally the early fry were raised (@ Sper litre) in cemented cistern for 30 days. The survival rate of Shalyni barb after 6 days of rearing, 18 days of rearing and 48 days of rearing were 82.50%, 60.53% and 50.46 respectively. In Sophore barb the survival rate after 6 days of rearing, 18 days of rearing and 48 days of rearing were 85.50%, 65.23% and 52.56% respectively. BIOLOGY INDIGENOUS ORNAMENTAL BARBS PUNTIUS SHALYNIUS AND PUNTIUS SOPHORE OF NE INDIA B. K. Mahapatra Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Deemed University (ICAR), Kolkata Centre, Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata — 700 091. bkmahapatra2007@yahoo.co.in The Shalyni barb, Puntius shalynius and the Sophore barb, Puntius sophore are two of the important ornamental fish species of North East India. These common Indian fish are fancied as aquarium fish due to their diversified ornamental value like bright colouration, dark blotches, bands, peaceful Organized by CIFE, Kolkata Centre on 27-28 August, 2010 93