PREDATOR AVOIDANCE EVALUATION OF FAST-GROWING TRANSGENIC AFRICAN CATFISH

Huria Marnis, Bambang Iswanto, Imron, Selny Febrida, Raden Roro Sri Pudji Sinarni Dewi, Putri Wiyastuti, Desrita.
 
Research Institute for Fish Breeding
marnis.huria@gmail.com
 

Research Institute for Fish Breeding has produced transgenic African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) containing stripped catfish growth hormone genes (PccBA-PhGH) with growth 19.86% faster than non-transgenic. This fish will be released and utilized for fish farming sector to increase national production. However, there is not yet information about environmental risk of this fish. One of the major fitness traits determining potential environmental risk is predator avoidance. This study aimed to determine the predator avoidance ability of transgenic African catfish in an experimental laboratory.

In this study, thirty five individuals each of transgenic and non-transgenic with body weight ± 0.1 g were communally stocked in 60 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm aquarium with limited food. One day after the fish were stocked, the predators were added to the aquarium. The non-transgenic and transgenic with body weight ± 1 g were stocked as predators. After approximately 2 weeks of predation, all remaining fish were collected for transgenic verification. DNA samples were isolated  from fin tissue of individuals survivors were analyzed by PCR method.

The result of this study showed that transgenic had worse predator avoidance and lower cannibal than non-transgenic (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in growth performance between transgenic and non-transgenic African catfish (P>0.05) (Table 1). These results suggest that transgenic African catfish would not fast growth in limited food. These research findings indicate that transgenic African catfish could be used for commercial aquaculture without affecting the environment.