Effect of Sugarcane Bagasse and Supplemental Feed on Certain Reproductive Characterestics of the Catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch.)

The present investigation has been conducted to study the reproductive characterestics of the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch.) cultured in sugarcane bagasse substrate medium. Adult H. fossilis (av. wt. 194 g for males and 210 g for females) were reared at 20 tank-1. No feed was provided to the fish in three of the substrate-added tanks (T1) while a pelleted diet was fed to the fish in the remaining three substrate-added tanks (T2) and the other three tanks without substrate (T3). Finding showed that both sexes started to reach maturity after 355 days. The average diameter of the ripened egg was 1.3-1.6 mm. Fecundity varied in different experimental groups in relation to fish weight and feeding. Compared to supplemental feed (T3) and in combination with sugarcane bagasse (T2), sugarcane bagasse alone group (T1) showed a positive relationship in all the parameters. These results showed that sugarcane bagasse can effectively be use as a substrate for the culture of the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis.