Determination of Growth Performance of Intergeneric Hybridization of Heterobranchus Longifilis and Clarias Anguillaris

Abstract

Experiment on intergeneric hybridization of Heterobranchus longifilis (H. ) and Clarias anguillaris (C. a.) was carried out at the Toxicology unit, Fish Farm, Federal University of Technology (F.U.T.), Minna to determine growth performance and survival of the bred hatchlings. Pure crossing of H. l. (T). C. a. (T). niergeneric crosses of male H. 1. with female C. a. (T3) and male C. a with female H. l (Ta) serve as treatmenis. Each treatment was replicated three times. Percentage fertilization for T1. T2. Ty and Ta were 16.66 % 40.00 % 16.66 % and 40.00 % respectively, Percentage hatchability was 86.00 % 22.22 %, 80.77 % and 1.64 % for Ti, l2 T3 and T, respectively. The bred hatchlings were maintained for 8 weeks and result shows that T had the highest percentage survival (85.80+12.90°) and differed significantly P (< 0.05) from other treatments while T (100.00+00.00) recorded no survivor and differed significantly P(<0.05) to other treatments in term of percentage mortalit. Length-weight relationship shows negative allometric. Weight gain in 7 was 1.22t.50) and difered significantly P (<0.05) from other treatments. Heteroclarias (male H.I. crossed with Jemale C. a) (T) bred specie had the highest specific growth rate (SGR) 2.85+1.2" and it is therefore recommended for farmers to culture.