COMBINING ABILITY OF CHANNEL CATFISH FEMALES AND BLUE CATFISH MALES FOR TOLERANCE OF LOW OXYGEN IN THEIR PROGENY USING A COMPLETE FACTORAL MATING DESIGN

In the United States, catfish production is the main pillar of the aquaculture industry in terms of finfish production. While many species of catfish are raised for food, the hybrid catfish is quickly gaining popularity among farmers for its disease resistance as well as its increased performance. Relatively little is known about hybrid catfish in comparison to the channel catfish, which is the most commonly raised food fish in the U.S. Using a complete factorial mating design, we tested 60 to 80-day old fry from 37 different families of hybrid catfish for resistance to low levels of dissolved oxygen. Variation for dissolved oxygen resistance was observed among the families and combining abilities are currently being calculated. These results will be influential in developing genetic improvement plans for hybrid catfish which focus on increased tolerance and resistance to low dissolved oxygen.