Author(s): Victoria Chidinma Ejete-Iroh, Olabode Thomas Adebayo and Ayokanmi, Adekunle Dada

Abstract: The present study was carried out to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Piper guineense on the reproductive parameters of Clarias gariepinus female broodstock. Aqueous extract of P. guineense was added to the feed of C. gariepinus at the inclusions levels of 0.6, 1.2, 1.6 and 2.4 g/kg feed to form diets D2, D3, D4, D5 and the control diet D1 was not supplemented with P. guineense. 75 fish of mean weight of ± 407.5 g were stocked into 15 concrete tanks (1 x 2 x 1.5m³) at the density of 5 fish per tank. The fish were fed two times daily at 3% body weight for 70 days at the end of which the reproductive parameters were evaluated. The results revealed that the fish fed the supplemented diets of P. guineense showed significantly improved reproductive indices over the fish fed control diet. Fish fed D5 had the highest gonadosomatic index (13.34 ± 1.84) which was significantly different (P < 0.05) to fish fed control diet. The fecundity, percentage fertilization and hatchability was highest in fish fed D4 which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) when compared to fish fed control diet. This result revealed that supplemented diets with P. guineense fruit aqueous extract improved gonadosomatic index, fecundity, percentage fertilization, hatchability and survival, egg size and estrogen level of female C. gariepinus broodstocks and has a potent fertility enhancing property which can be exploited in fish seed production by hatchery operators.

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