CULTURE OF CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus) FED WITH DIET CONTAINING 17- ALPHA METHYL TESTOSTERONE

Abstract

The study examines the sex-reversed population of Clarias gariepinus after its fry were fed with 17 alpha-methyl
testosterone. Broodstock of Clarias gariepinus which consists of three females and one male were collected and
used for fry production. The volumetric method was used in the stocking of 200fry into four experimental units;
(T1, T2, T3, and Control) in triplicates. The different experimental units T1, T2, and T3 were fed with feed
containing 0.03, 0.035, and 0.04g of 17 alpha-methyl testosterone, and the control was devoid of the hormone.
The fry was fed with the experimental diet for 30 days. The gonadal analysis was carried out after 51 days of
culture. Results showed that the mean survival rate in Clarias gariepinus varied in the different units. T1 (65%),
T2 (70%) T3 (75%) and control (85%). Experimental unit T3 (0.04g) had the highest number of sex-reversed
males at 43(86%) while the control has the lowest with 23(46%). The lowest quantity of the hormone that produces
sex-reversed males was in T1 (0.03g). Sex reversed fishes with a good survival rate were produced in the
experimental unit treated with hormone while the controls produce a relatively small number of male fish.