Oocyte Development and Fecundity of Snakehead Murrel, Channa striatus (Bloch 1793) in Captivity

This study describes the different stages of ovarian development and estimate the fecundity in captive-raised snakehead murrel, Channa striatus. The fish (14.9±3.9 g) were fed twice daily until satiation from February to September 2010 with a commercial diet. The gonadosomatic index (GSI), gradually increased from the 1st to the 4th month, remained unchanged at the 5th until the 7th month, and then declined slightly by the 8th month. However, the hepatosomatic index (HSI) fluctuated as the feeding period progressed. In contrast, HSI increased from the1st month and peaked by the 3rd month. However it declined sharply in the 4th month to a level lower than that in the first 3 months and remained consistently low thereafter. Interestingly, HSI sharply increased in the 8th month, when GSI declined. The absolute fecundity was found to be 33,949±3,388. Oocyte and egg diameters were found to be 1.21mm±0.07mm and 1.33mm±0.09 mm, respectively. Four different developmental stages were identified and discussed through histological examination: primary, yolk vesicle, vitellogenic and mature oocytes. The results demonstrated that captive-raised fingerling C. striatus came to sexual maturity after 8 months.