Common Terms Used In Catfish Propagation And Their Meanings
Propagation: fish propagation refers to the process of encouraging and managing the reproduction of fish. It involves activities such as breeding, hatching, and raising fish in controlled environment like hatcheries to enhance fish population.
Breeding: breeding refers to the controlled process of encouraging fish to reproduce.
Fecundity: the reproductive capacity of a female fish, often measured by the number of eggs it produces.
Ripening: ripening refers to the maturation process of eggs as they develop and become ready for fertilization.
Hatchery: a fish hatchery is a facility where fish eggs are collected, fertilized and hatched under controlled conditions.
Nursery: a fish nursery is an area usually within a hatchery where young fish (fry or fingerlings) are raised and protected during the early stages of their life.
Conditioning: conditioning is the process of preparing and maintaining mature fish (brood stock) for successful breeding. It involves a series of activities ranging from controlled environmental conditions such as temperature, lighting and nutrition to injection with artificial hormones.
Brood stock: brood stock are matured fish selected and maintained for breeding purposes.
Spawning: this is the process of releasing eggs by female fish for fertilization.
Milt: milt refers to the fluid that contains sperm produced by male fish.
Sperm: this is the male reproductive cell or gamete produced in the testes of male fish.
Eggs: eggs are the female reproductive cells or gametes produced by the ovaries of female fish.
Fertilization: the union of eggs and sperm resulting in the formation of a fertilized egg or zygote.
Alevin: newly hatched fish with a yolk sac attached for nourishment.
Fry: a small juvenile fish that has absorbed its yolk sac and begun feeding independently.
Fingerling: a small juvenile fish that has developed beyond the fry stage.
Inundation: this is the flooding or submersion of areas like spawning grounds which is crucial to the onset of spawning or mating season for fish in the wild. In aquaculture, this process is mimicked to encourage spawning.
Pituitary gland (hypophysis): the pituitary gland is a small organ located in the brain that produces and releases hormones. It can be extracted and used in injecting female fish to ensure final maturation of eggs in the ovaries.
Physiological salt: physiological salt refers to a concentration of salt (0.9%) that is suitable or compatible with the natural physiological processes of living organisms. It is used in fish propagation in place of water to avoid death of eggs, sperm or fertilized eggs.
Grow-out ponds: Grow-out ponds are controlled bodies of water (ponds) used in aquaculture for the cultivation and growth of fish from fingerlings or juveniles to marketable size (table size). Fish are transferred here from nursery ponds.
Stocking: this is the practice of introducing fish into a controlled water system such as ponds or tanks for the purpose of cultivation, recreation or conservation.
Sorting: sorting refers to the process of separating and categorizing (grading) fish based on certain criteria such as size or age usually to ensure uniformity in growth and prevent cannibalism.
Feeding ad-libitum: this simply means feeding the fish spontaneously without first measuring the quantity to be fed. In this method of feeding fish, the fish are fed to satisfaction that is until they stop eating as opposed to feeding by body weight where the amount of feed required by the fish at that size and age is measured for daily rations.
