PROTOCOL FOR BREEDING AND HATCHERY PRODUCTION OF FRY OF SILVER CATFISH, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacepede).  

Hakeem Fashina Bombata*1; Ekaete Anwa-Udondiah2, Fatai Owodeinde1, Prince Ndimele1, Yeside Ayeni1.
1Lagos State University, Department of Fisheries, 2Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, Victoria Island, Nigeria.
*bombatta2002@gmail.com/+2348035656840
 

A complete observation has been made of the life stages and water chemistry requirements of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, requisite precursors for the domestication of the silver catfish in Nigeria. The protocol that has been developed for the breeding, hatching and rearing of the silver catfish, C. nigrodigitatus is a process that consisted of the use of simple modern technology in an indoor hatchery facility. This is a novel approach that is scalable and sustainable. Research commenced in 2014 with the restructuring of an existing laboratory into a mini indoor hatchery cum laboratory. Collection of silver catfish broodstock from tubular receptacles attached to long-lines in Epe Lagoon for breeding comprised the next phase. Catfish pairs were hormonally-induced to spawn and placed as single pair mates in spawning totes for breeding. Incubation jars were utilized for hatching of fertilized eggs whose duration averaged 5 days. Growth progression of the resulting silver catfish fry was monitored fortnightly for a period of 12 weeks. Brood pairs obtained from the lagoon ranged from 45g to 670g for both male and female C. nigrodigitatus. However, the majority of the fish encountered were generally small [<200g] in sizes even though they were gravid [carried viable eggs]. This findings prompted interest in their fecundity and age. Some useful discovery uncovered suggested the viability of caviar of Silver catfish and the general picture also showed that there is genetic breeding pressure on the species. Stunted growth has resulted in very low fecundity even as the ages of sampled otoliths revealed 3-5 years. This research is therefore apt as it shall recommend some far reaching policy to stem the continued adulteration of the genetic pool in the wild while conserving C. nigrodigitatus fishery in the State. Growth progression for silver catfish fry over a three month period indoor and cage culture of resultant juvenile shall be reported. The promising results from this demand driven research indicate that the silver catfish C. nigrodigitatus can be intensively cultured in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.