PRELIMINARY REPORTS ON SELECTIVE BREEDING OF THE AFRICAN CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus BURCHELL, 1822) UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITION OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Selective breeding response and growth of Clarias gariepinus were investigated. A total of 24 paired gravid C.
gariepinus collected from River Benue, Numan and Gubi Dam, Bauchi crossed as following: C. gariepinus River
Benue x C. gariepinus River Benue (RBxRB), C. gariepinus River Benue x C. gariepinus Gubi Dam Bauchi
(RBxGD), C. gariepinus Gubi Dam x C. gariepinus Gubi Dam (GDxGD), and C. gariepinus Gubi Dam x C.
gariepinus River Benue (GDxRB) in a completely randomized design. Females are mentioned first. Seven days
old fry were reared for 6 weeks in 30 litres capacity plastic trough according to the crosses. Six weeks old fish
were further reared at 10fish/m2 for 90 days in net 2m2 hapa installed in 7 x 5x1.2m polyethylene-line pond. The
result shows that fertilization rates were higher in GDxGD, while hatching rates were better in GDxRB F1 hybrids.
Fry final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, survival and heterosis for survival were higher in RB×GD
progenies in F1 progenies. The final weight, weight gain, and heterosis for growth were better in GDxRB hybrids.
The GDxRB proved to have better growth and survival. This study revealed the potentials for selective breeding
of Clarias gariepinus in North-East Nigeria.