BREEDING PERFORMANCE OF MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERG/I IN CAPTIVITY

Abstract

The key factor in success of a Macrobrachium hatchery is to yield
maximum number of larvae with minimum number of brooders. Suitable
environmental conditions were provided and the breeding performance
of females of M. rosenbergii was observed. A total .n umb.e r of 140 females
brought from wild were used for this purpose. Each female was tagged
and given a code number which made it possible to record the gesta#on
period, interbreed period, number of breedings and larval yield of
individual female during each breeding.
Females were found to breed six times during the ten months duration.
Of the total females studied, 99.12% bred once, while only 2.16% females
bred six times in a total span of ten months. The average number of
larvae decreased successively from first to fourth breeding. The average
interbrood period was minimum between the first and second breedings
and maximum between the fourth and fifth breedings. The highest average
larval yield of 25,428 nos was recorded in the first breeding, the lowest
of 4,596 in the fourth breeding. The possible reasons for variations in the
interbrood period and larval yield are discussed.