Effects of stocking density of broodstock on semi-artificial propagation and dietary protein levels on fry performance of swamp eel Monopterus albus in tank conditions

Doan Xuan  Diep

doi:10.21077/

Authors

Doan Xuan Diep Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5746-4162

https://doi.org/10.21077/

Keywords:

broodstock density, , dietary protein, Monopterus albus, semi-artificial propagation, swamp eels, Vietnam

Abstract

This study examined the effects of broodstock density on semi-artificial propagation efficiency and the influence of dietary protein levels on the rearing performance of swamp eel (Monopterus albus) fry under hatchery conditions. Two experiments were conducted using a completely randomised design with three replicates each. In Experiment 1, sexually mature eels (100–180 g) were stocked in 0.5 m³ composite spawning tanks at densities of 3, 4, and 5 individuals per tank. Each tank contained three artificial nesting substrates, while aquatic vegetation (Ludwigia adscendens) was grown on the tank surface to enhance spawning conditions. Artificial rainfall was applied to stimulate reproductive behavior, and broodstock were fed a commercial pellet diet containing 45% protein. Eggs were incubated in round plastic basins (20 cm dia) with gentle aeration. In Experiment 2, fry (0.023 g) were reared for 45 days in 16.4 l plastic trays at a density of 100 individuals per tray and fed diets containing 45, 50, and 55% protein. Among the broodstock densities that resulted in successful spawning, no significant differences were detected between tanks stocked with 3 and 4 individuals, with respect to nest formation, mumber of eggs per nest, hatching rate, number of newly hatched larvae per nest, or larval body size (p>0.05). In contrast, no nests were formed at a stocking density of five individuals per tank. Dietary protein levels significantly affected fry growth performance, with 55% protein level producing the highest growth during the first 15 days of rearing (p<0.05). However, fry fed 50% and 55% protein diets exhibited comparable growth performance during the later rearing stages (p>0.05), and both achieved significantly higher growth than those fed the 45% protein diet (p<0.05). Overall, a broodstock stocking density of three individuals per spawning tank and a feeding regime using a 55% protein diet during the early rearing phase, followed by a 50% protein diet later, may be beneficial under the conditions of this study.

Keywords: Artificial nesting substrates, Hatching rate, Ludwigia adscendens, Spawning conditions, Vietnam

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Addo, S., Ameti, K. S., Sowah, W., Diyie, R. L., Duodu, C. P. and Asamoah, E. K. 2022. Semi-artificial method of induced breeding of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus under varying broodstock ratios using Ovaprim. Afr. J. Biotechnol., 21(10): 504–509. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB2022.17511

Ame, E. C. and Mayor, A. D. 2021. Efficient fishing method to control the population of rice eel Monopterus albus in rice fields in Cagayan Valley, Philippines. Philipp. J. Fish., 28(1): 228–245. https://doi.org/10.31398/tpjf/28.2.2020-0005

Bessa, E., Brandão, M. L. and Gonçalves-de-Freitas, E. 2022. Integrative approach on the diversity of nesting behaviour in fishes. Fish Fish., 23(3): 564–583. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12632

Blecha, M., Samarin, A. M., Křišťan, J. and Policar, T. 2016. Benefits of hormone treatment of both sexes in semi-artificial reproduction of pikeperch Sander lucioperca. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 61(5): 203–208. https://doi.org/10.17221/60/2015-CJAS

Cheng, H., Guo, Y., Yu, Q. and Zhou, R. 2003. The rice field eel as a model system for vertebrate sexual development. Cytogenet. Genome Res., 101(3–4): 274–277. https://doi.org/10.1159/000074348

Conceição, L. E. C. 1997. Growth in early life stages of fishes: an explanatory model. PhD thesis, Wageningen Univ., Netherlands.

Daiqin, Y. and Fang, C. 2000 Requirements of nutrients and optimum energy-protein ratio in the diet for Monopterus albus. J. Fish. China, 4(3): 259–262.

Do, T. T. H., Nguyen, T. H. T. and Nguyen, A. T. 2008. Preliminary results on reproduction of the swamp eel Monopterus albus. Can Tho Univ. J. Sci., 2: 50–58.

Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Eds.) 2008. FishBase. Worldwide web electronic publication. Available at: http://www.fishbase.org

Guan, R. Z., Zhou, L. H., Cui, G. H. and Feng, X. H. 1996. Studies on the artificial propagation of Monopterus albus. Aquac. Res., 27(8): 587–596. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2109.1996.tb01291.x

Guerrero, R. D. III. 2014. The impacts of introduced freshwater fishes in the Philippines (1905–2013): a review and recommendations. Philipp. J. Sci., 143(1): 49–59.

He, Y., Shang, X., Sun, J., Zhang, L., Zhao, W., Tian, Y., Cheng, H. and Zhou, R. 2010. Gonadal apoptosis during sex reversal of the rice field eel: implications for an evolutionarily conserved role of heat shock protein 10. J Exp Zool B Mol Dev Evol., 314(4): 257–266. https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.b.21333

Hien, T. T. T., Lan, L. M., Tu, T. L. C. and Tu, N. T. T. 2019. Replacement of fishmeal with soybean meal in feed for eel Monopterus albus. Can Tho Univ. J. Sci., 55(2): 96–103. https://doi.org/10.22144/ctu.jvn.2019.052

Ishimatsu, A., Mai, H. V. and Martin, K. L. M. 2018. Patterns of fish reproduction at the interface between air and water. Integr. Comp. Biol., 58(6): 1064–1085. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icy108

Jiang, W. H., Yang, X., Zhou, Q. B., Wang, Z. R., Gao, M., Wang, Y., Hu, Z. H. and Zhang, W. P. 2022. Dietary protein requirement of Monopterus albus. J. Fish. Sci. China, 46(8): 1205–1214. https://doi.org/10.7541/2022.2020.238

Jiang, X., Qu, F., Ge, Y., Li, C., Shi, X., Hu, X., Cheng, L., Zhao, X. and Jia, Z. . 2025. Effects of dietary protein levels on growth and physiological indices of juvenile yellow river carp. Animals, 15(12): 1800. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15121800

Khanh, N. H. and Ngan, H. T. B. 2010. Current practices of rice field eel Monopterus albus culture in Viet Nam. Aquac. Asia Mag., 15(3): 26–29.

Krasteva, V. 2022. Method for semi-artificial propagation of European catfish Silurus glanis using artificial pyramid nests. In: Natl. Sci. Conf. “Ecology and Health”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Kujawa, R., Piech, P., Nowosad, J. and Kucharczyk, D. 2022. Comparison of spawning methods of wild vimba bream Vimba vimba under controlled conditions. Anim. Reprod. Sci., 244: 107036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107036

Lam, M. L., Tran, T. T. H. and Tran, L. C. T. 2019. Dietary protein requirement at different lipid levels of Asian swamp eel fingerling. Viet. J. Agric. Sci. Technol., 4(101): 217–222.

Liu, F., Lin, X., Meng, K., Chen, Y., Liu, H., Zhao, Y. and Luo, D. 2023. Indicators for testis quality in swamp eel through metabolomics analysis. Water Biol. Secur., 2(4): 100204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watbs.2023.100204

Lukistyowati, I., Tang, U. M., Putra I., Fauzi, M., Suharman, I., Rusliadi, R., Alfinda, R., Nurahmad A. and Effendi I. 2022. Growth performance of Asian swamp eel in biofloc systems at different stocking densities. AACL Bioflux, 15(2): 1013–1020.

Luo, H., Feng, K., Chen, J., Song, Y., Hou, M., Jiang, Y., Jiang, M., Li, Y., Tao, B., Wang, Y., Zhu, Z. and Hu, W. 2020. Telophase of the first cleavage as a key stage for inducing mitotic gynogenesis in rice field eel. Aquaculture, 523: 735241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735241

Lv, W., Yuan, Q., He, D. and Zhou, W. 2020. Microplastic contamination under different rearing modes of Asian swamp eel. Aquac. Res., 51(12): 4981–4989. https://doi.org/10.1111/are.14847

Ly, V. K., Phan, T. T. V., Nguyen, H. T. and Do, T. T. H. 2008. Feeding habitat and reproductive biology of rice eel Monopterus albus. Can Tho Univ. J. Sci., 1: 100–111.

Ma, X., Hu, Y., Wang, X. Q., Ai, Q. H., He, Z. G., Feng, F. X. and Lu, X. Y. 2014. Effects of dietary protein to lipid ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile rice field eel. Aquac. Int., 22: 749–760. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-013-9703-0

Mai, V. T., Nguyen, T. O., Le, X. C. and Tran, T. N. T. 2019. Effects of dietary protein level on growth performance of Asian swamp eel. Viet. J. Agric. Sci., 17(8): 630–636.

Mao, Y., Lv, W., Huang, W., Yuan, Q., Yang, H., Zhou, W. and Li, M. 2024. Growth performance and immunity of Monopterus albus under high temperature stress. Front. Physiol., 15: 1397818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1397818

Matsumoto, S., Takeyama, T., Ohnishi, N. and Kohda, M. 2011. Mating system and size advantage of males in the protogynous swamp eel Monopterus albus. Zool. Sci., 28(5): 360–367. https://doi.org/10.2108/zsj.28.360

Nhan, H. T., Duc, P. M. and Long, D. N. 2020. Effects of protein content on water quality and growth of eel Monopterus albus and Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis) in an aquaponic model. Can Tho Univ. J. Sci., 56(1): 143–152. https://doi.org/10.22144/ctu.jvn.2020.015

Nhan, H. T., Tai, T. N., Liem, T. P., Ut, V. N. and Ako, H. 2019. Effects of stocking density on growth of Asian swamp eel Monopterus albus, water quality and watercress growth in an aquaponic recirculating system. Aquaculture, 503: 96–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.12.067

Phuong, T. V., Khanh, N. V., Yen, P. T. H., Dieu, V. and Huy, N. V. 2017. Effects of diet and spawning induction methods on ovulation of rice field eel Monopterus albus in Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. A & B, 7: 85–92. https://doi.org/10.17265/2161-6256/2017.10.011S

Pintar, M. R., Strickland, N., Kline, J. L. and Cook, M. I. 2024. Asian swamp eels (Monopterus spp.) in Florida: distribution, spread and hydrologic tolerance over 27 years (1997–2023). Aquat. Invasions, 19(2): 233–258. https://doi.org/10.3391/ai.2024.19.2.124660

Radhakrishnan, G., Shivkumar, S., Mannur, V. S., Yashwanth, B. S., Pinto, N., Pradeep, A. and Prathik, M. R. 2020. Dietary protein requirement for maintenance, growth and reproduction in fish: a review. J. Entomol. Zool. Stud., 8(4): 208–215.

Shafland, P. L., Gestring, K. B. and Sanford, M. S. 2010. An assessment of the Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus) in Florida. Rev. Fish. Sci., 18(1): 25–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641260903225542

Siang, H. Y., Lee, M. Y. and Chuah, T. S. 2007. Acute toxicity of endosulfan and its effects on behaviour and hematological parameters of Asian swamp eel Monopterus albus. Pestic. Biochem. Physiol., 89(1): 46–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2007.02.009

Surjobala, N., Mandal, S. C., Patel, A. B., Pal, P. and Pandey, P. K. 2019. Optimization of dietary protein requirement for growth, survival and feed utilization of Osteobrama belangeri fingerlings. Indian J. Anim. Nutr., 36(3): 290. https://doi.org/10.5958/2231-6744.2019.00048.3

Susatyo, P., Umami, R. and Sukmaningrum, S. 2020. Reproductive characters of rice field eel Monopterus albus in Central Java, Indonesia. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci., 593: 012015. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/593/1/012015

Tung, M. V., Oanh, N. T., Chinh, L. X. and Thu, T. T. N. 2019. Effects of dietary protein level on growth performance and feed utilization of Asian swamp eel Monopterus albus. Viet. J. Agric. Sci., 17(8): 630–636.

Wilson, R. P. 1986. Protein and amino acid requirements of fishes. Annu. Rev. Nutr., 6: 225–244. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.nu.06.070186.001301

Yang, D., Chen, F. and Ruan, G. 2018. Aquaculture of the paddy eel Monopterus albus. In: Gui, J. F., Tang, Q., Li, Z., Liu, J. and De Silva, S. S. (Eds.), Aquaculture in China: Success stories and modern trends. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, Chapter 3_9. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119120759.ch3_9

Yang, H., Yuan, Q., Rahman, M. M., Lv, W., Huang, W., Hu, W. and Zhou, W. 2024. Comparative intestinal health of wild and cultured rice field eel Monopterus albus. Front. Immunol., 15: 1411544. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1411544

Yeung, W. S. B., Chen, H. and Chan, S. T. H. 1993. Effects of LH and LHRH analog on gonadal development and steroidogenesis in the protogynous Monopterus albus. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol., 89(3): 323–332. https://doi.org/10.1006/gcen.1993.1040

Yin, S. and Liu, Y. 2010. Composition and function of hatching froth from rice field eel Monopterus albus. Fish Physiol. Biochem., 36(2): 195–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-008-9274-6

Yin, S. W., Zhou, G. J. and Liu, Y. 2005. Ecological study on breeding of rice field eel Monopterus albus. Acta Ecol. Sin., 25(3): 435–439.

Yin, S., Zhou, G. and Liu, Y. 2004. Effects of ecological factors on hatching rate of rice field eel Monopterus albus. Chin. J. Appl. Ecol., 15(4): 734–736.

Yuan, Q., Wu, C., Yang, H., Lv, W., Huang, W., Zhang, Q. and Zhou, W. 2024. Effects of natural baits on water quality, growth and antioxidant enzyme activity of Monopterus albus in a recirculating system. Front. Physiol., 15: 1403391. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1403391

Yue, H., Huang, X., Ruan, R., Ye, H., Li, Z. and Li, C. 2019. Effects of dietary protein levels on growth and physiology of Chinese rice field eel fingerlings. Aquac. Res., 51(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/are.14387

Zhang, J., Zhong, L., Peng, M., Chu, W., Liu, Z., Dai, Z. and Hu, Y. 2019. Replacement of fish meal with soy protein concentrate in juvenile rice field eel diets. Aquac. Rep., 15: 100235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2019.100235

Zhang, Y., Xu, W., Lv, W., Yuan, Q., Yang, H., Huang, W. and Zhou, W. 2025. Impact of rearing duration on nutritional composition and quality of Asian swamp eel Monopterus albus. Foods, 14(10): 1685. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101685

Zhou, L. and Gui, J. F. 2016. Jian-Kang Liu: a pioneer of sex determination studies in vertebrates. Protein Cell, 7(1): 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-015-0232-7