Ade Sunarma*, Sarifin, Maskur, Abduh Nurhidajat Main Center for Freshwater Aquaculture Development, Jl. Selabintana 37 Sukabumi 43114 Indonesia email: juraganindoor@yahoo.co.id
African catfish production has been remarkable increase in Indonesia by 40 pct/year in past 5 years. In nursing stage, this production mostly conducted in plastic-based pond in a backyard hatchery system. As an effort to provide good quality of seed, crossbreed among different introduced-history of African catfish has been conducted, i.e. Sangkuriang population (SK), Thailand population (TH) and Egypt population (EG). Since first introduction to Indonesia in 1985 from Taiwan, African catfish has been improved using back-cross strategy and resulted a new variety, locally known as Sangkuriang catfish, in 2004. Others population introduced from Thailand and Egypt in 2003 and 2007, respectively.
The crossbreeding were performed by artificial breeding. Fertilized eggs was incubated in happa in flow-through water. Larvae (4 days after hatching) were transferred to nursing stages in outdoor plastic-based pond (18 m2 and 40-50 cm in depth) with stocking density 1.000 fish/m2 for 21 days. The larvae were fed with live tubificid worm at 1st week, live worm and artificial diet mix at 2nd week, and artificial diet at 3rd week. At the end of rearing, the seeds separated by length size.
Supporting to requirement broodfish for field utilization, this research conducted in outdoor plastic-based pond. SK population has adapted to the system but others kept in hatchery. However, results showed all population and hybrids can be adapted to outdoor pond. Survival rate (18-37%) tend similar to reported in other research in more controlled system (e.g. 7-40% Adamek et al., 2011). There’re no different in growth but varied in heterosis. Wachirachaikarn et al., (2009) reported negative heterosis in African catfish in Thailand. Length distribution varied among populations. In nursing stage, more uniformity in length can increase survival in further rearing due to suppress cannibalism. However, further research until fish consumable size required.
Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2013 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 10-13 December 2013