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Gonadal maturation in the blackspot seabream Pagellus bogaraveo : a comparison between a farmed and a wild broodstock
Author(s) -
Micale V.,
Maricchiolo G.,
Genovese L.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.559ap.x
Subject(s) - biology , broodstock , sexual maturity , captivity , aquaculture , fish farming , diplodus , fishery , sperm , zoology , milt , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , botany
The blackspot seabream Pagellus bogaraveo (Brünnich, 1768) has been regarded as a possible alternative to traditionally cultured Mediterranean species such as seabream and seabass, due to its high market value and good adaptation to captivity. Broodstock establishment and management represent the first step towards reliable production of eggs and fry, which is required to develop aquaculture of this new species. Two different broodstocks were tested for gonadal maturation and spawning, one constituting of wild fish caught as juveniles and reared in tanks until sexual maturity (4 years), and one assembled from wild adult fish caught during or just before the reproductive season. All fish were maintained under the same rearing conditions and fed the same diet. Gonadal stripping and biopsies were performed weekly to monitor maturation in both males and females. Ovarian samples were staged for maturity on the basis of follicular diameter and migration of germinal vesicle. Sperm samples were tested for density (number of spermatozoa ml −1 ) and motility. The fish reared in captivity reached ovarian maturity during the breeding season of the wild stock. Eggs were obtained by stripping from both farmed and wild specimens, but appeared degenerated as a result of being retained too long in the ovarian cavity due to the absence of spontaneous spawning. Spermiation was prolonged in the farmed fish, but appeared to be blocked in the wild breeders after first sampling. However, the sperm was very viscous and the motile spermatozoa did not exceed 10%.