INDUCED BREEDING

1. Bundh breeding: Bundh are special types of perrineal and seasonal tanks or
impoundment where riverine conditions are created during rainy seasons. Bundh are
of two types- wet and dry bundhs

Wet bundh: With the onset of monsoon the fresh rain water from the catchment
area enters into the bundh and the latter is inundated. The excess water flows out
from the bundh creating a water current. The breeders present in the deeper area of
the bundh migrate to shallow areas where they start breeding.

Dry bundh: Rain water which accumulates in the catchment area during
premonsoon showers flows in to fill up the pond seasonally. Thereafter, the brood
fishes from a perennial pond are introduced into the seasonal ponds to breed,
preferably on cool rainy days. Spawning usually commence during and after heavy
showers when the bundh as well as the catchment area are flooded with fresh
rainwater.

Collection of eggs: Egg collection is taken as soon as the embryo starts twitching
movements. To collect eggs, the water level of the bundh should be lowered by
opening the outlet. Eggs are generally netted by a piece of thin cotton cloth
(gamcha) or a piece of mosquito netting cloth. In such areas a series of earthen pits
are constructed with water flow facilities. Fertilized eggs are allowed to hatch in
these pits and the spawn are collected after three days.

2. Induced breeding by stripping : This involves grasping the fish gently with a
damp cloth, turning it upside down and applying slight pressure to the abdomen. If
the eggs flow easily, the fish is ready for striping. Striping before the females are
ready will damage the fish and result in infertile eggs. Eggs from ripe females are
stripped into dry bowls. Small quantities of milt from male fish are then added to the
eggs and mixed for 30 seconds. Only males from which milt is freely running should
be used. After mixing and fertilization, the mixture is washed several times with clean
water to remove blood, ovarian fluid and debris. The bowls are then filled with clean
water and the eggs allowed to stand for one hour to water harden. They can then be
introduced into the incubation cisterns. It is important not to strip too many eggs into
each container, as when water hardening takes place, the eggs increase in size up
to 40 times. Eggs from a 1 kg fish should be striped into a minimum of three washing
bowls.

3. Induced spawning by hypophysation:

Types of Hormone: Use of hormones for inducing spawning in fishes has been in
practice for several decades. The gonadotropic hormones secreted by the pituitary
gland of fish play an important role in the process of maturation and spawning. Now-
a-days, however, several types of hormones preparations are commercially
available.

 Fresh pituitary glands

Dr.C.V.Narasimha Murthy, JBDC, KAVALI, B.Sc., Zoology Notes 2010.
  Dried pituitary extract
 Purified Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG)
 Crude HCG

Pituitary gland collection: The commonly adopted method of gland removal is by

chopping off the skull with a sharp butcher's knife or a hand saw from a mature fish
around the spawning age. The brain thus exposed is lifted up by detaching the optic
nerve. The brain tissues are removed through this foramen magnum and then by
close examination the gland is located embedded in the floor from where it is
scooped out carefully with the help of a small scooper.

Preservation and storage of glands: Freshly collected glands have been found to
be the best for the induced breeding purpose. The most popular method of
preservation in absolute alcohol and after an interval of 24 hours they are dried
weighed and transferred to dark coloured phials containing fresh absolute alcohol.
Alcohol dehydrates and defattens the glands. The phials are then kept at room
temperature or in a refrigerator. When needed the stored glands are put on filter
paper which allows the alcohol to evaporate, and are then weighed accurately.
However, better results have been achieved from glands preserved in acetone.

Preservation of pituitary extract: Pituitary extract is normally prepared just before

administration as such extracts cannot be kept long. Fish pituitary extract is prepared
in distilled water-glycerine media at a concentration of 40 mg of gland for every ml of
media. A known quantity of glands is taken and macerated in a tissue homogenizer.
Distilled water equal to one-third of the total volume of extract is added to the fully
macerated glands and thoroughly mixed. Pure glycerine, twice the volume of the
distilled water, is then added. Thus the ratio of distilled water to glycerine is
maintained at 1:2. The entire suspension is again thoroughly mixed and filtered
through filter paper to remove tissue fragments if any. Prepared extracts can either
be ampouled in ampoules of various capacities or may be kept in small phials in a
refrigerator.

Induced breeding operation: After the selection of brood fish the injectable dosage
of pituitary extract is calculated in terms of milligram of pituitary gland per kg body
weight of the recipient fish. Females are given two injections at an interval of 4–6
hours while males are given only one injection at the time of the second injection to
the females. The first and second dose in the case of females of Indian major carps
may be given at the rate of 2–4 mg/kg and 5–10 mg/kg body weight respectively.
The males are given only one injection at the rate of 2–4 mg/kg body weight at the
time of the second injection to the females. However, as stated the dose of the
pituitary may be slightly increased or decreased depending on the local climatic
conditions, potency of the gland and the response of the spawners.

The spawners should be grouped into several sets. Each set should consist
of both female and male spawners in the ratio of 1:2 and approximately 1:1 in
weight. Intramuscular or intraperitoneal injections are administered. Intramuscular
injections are commonly given in the caudal peduncle region and in case of
intraperitoneal injection the needle is pushed with ease at the innerside base of the
Dr.C.V.Narasimha Murthy, JBDC, KAVALI, B.Sc., Zoology Notes 2010.
pectoral fins The induced breeding work is generally taken up on cool and cloudy
days when the water temperature is around 25–30°C. It is always convenient to
apply the first injection between 16.00–17.00 hours and the second injection after 4–
6 h of the first injection i.e. between 20–23 hours. Breeding normally takes place
within 3–6 h after the second injection. The females are examined 3–4 h after the
second injection to see their readiness for stripping.

Dr.C.V.Narasimha Murthy, JBDC, KAVALI, B.Sc., Zoology Notes 2010.