breeding and rearing of an exotic ornamental catfish, corydorus aeneus (gill, 1858) in kolkata, west...
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Proceedings of the Zoological Society ISSN 0373-5893 Proc Zool SocDOI 10.1007/s12595-014-0113-8
Breeding and Rearing of an ExoticOrnamental Catfish, Corydorus aeneus(Gill, 1858) in Kolkata, West Bengal and ItsEconomics
B. K. Mahapatra & Soumi Dutta
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Breeding and Rearing of an Exotic Ornamental Catfish, Corydorusaeneus (Gill, 1858) in Kolkata, West Bengal and Its Economics
B. K. Mahapatra • Soumi Dutta
Received: 19 September 2013 / Revised: 9 January 2014 / Accepted: 28 May 2014
� Zoological Society, Kolkata, India 2014
Abstract Cory cat, Corydorus aeneus (Gill, 1858) are
popular among the hobbyists all over the world. They were
reared successfully in glass aquaria and small cemented
tanks in Kolkata, India. The females attained sexual maturity
at the age of 12.2 ± 1.8 SD months while the males took
24.0 ± 1.6 SD months to take part in reproduction. Females
are larger and more rounded than the males while males are
attractive because of the dorsal fin. At a temperature range
14–22 �C breeding was continued during November to
March period in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Cooling of
egg laying substratum stimulated spawning to a great extent.
Under favourable thermal condition breeding took place at
an interval of 10.4 ± 2.1 SD days. Brood size varied from
175–225 and on average 80 % eggs were fertile. Water
quality management and supply of proper food proved
successful to establish an economically viable farm through
the spread of indoor aqua business.
Keywords Albino Cory cat � Corydorus aeneus �Breeding � Rearing � Economics
Introduction
The Cory cat, Corydorus aeneus (Gill, 1858) a native of
South America, lives in fairly fast-flowing rivers and is a
popular ornamental fish worldwide. The albino Cory cat
belongs to family Callichthyidae. The family derives its
name from the Greek words Kallis (beautiful) and Ichthys
(fish). Different colour varieties of this fish are highly
preferred by the hobbyists. The main advantage of this
species is that both the sexes have almost the same col-
ouration and so both have equal acceptance (Fig. 1). Due to
congenial climatic condition and trade facility, Kolkata and
the suburbs districts (Howrah, South 24 Parganas and
North 24 Parganas) have emerged as one of the major
breeding and trade centres of ornamental fish (Gupta and
Banerjee 2012; Sinha and Mahapatra 2012). A good
number of small farmers are engaged in this trade to
maintain their livelihood (Ghosh and Debnath 1998; Ghosh
et al. 2000, 2001; Mahapatra et al. 1999; Mahapatra et al.
2000a, b). But in respect to Cory cat, there are considerable
lacunae in the existing ornamental fish farming system. A
variety of reproductive behaviours is exhibited by catfishes
which include species of various sizes and food habits
(Axelrod and Burgess 1986; Sato 1986; Burgess 1989,
1992). Corydoras catfish are very popular among the aqu-
arists and their reproductive behaviour has been observed
in aquaria by some workers (Sakurai et al. 1985; Burgess
1987, 1992; Matsuzaka 1993; Kohda et al. 1995; Hu-
ysentruyt and Adriaens 2005). Some information is also
available on Corydorus from works of Kramer and McC-
lure (1980), Kramer and Braun (1983), Burgess (1987),
Huysseune and Sire (1997), Pruzsinszky and Ladich
(1998), Fuller (2001), Kohda et al. (2002). However no
such study has been done under Indian condition on Cory
cat. This species is a very popular exotic ornamental fish
with high commercial value. Therefore, it is necessary to
develop a body of knowledge regarding breeding and
rearing of this fish under Indian condition which is indis-
pensable pre-requisite to boost up their trade.
In the present papers breeding pattern of albino Cory cat
with mass scale seed production techniques on commercial
scale was carried out.
B. K. Mahapatra (&) � S. Dutta
Kolkata Centre, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Deemed
University (ICAR), Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700 091,
India
e-mail: [email protected]
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DOI 10.1007/s12595-014-0113-8
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Materials and Methods
The experiments were conducted at Kolkata, West Bengal in
on-station and on-firm situation. Initially, the small fry of the
imported exotic fish were collected from Gallif Street Orna-
mental Fish Market, Kolkata during 2007 and reared under
captive condition both in Glass aquarium (122 cm 9
46 cm 9 46 cm) and Cemented cistern (244 cm 9
122 cm 9 46 cm). These captive raised brood stocks were
used for breeding experiments during October, 2009 to April,
2012. Two sets of experiments were conducted for breeding of
Cory cat. In Set I glass aquarium (60 cm 9 30 cm 9 30 cm)
was used in which 4 males and 2 females were released
(Fig. 2). In Set II 100 males and 50 females released into
cemented cistern (244 cm 9 122 cm 9 46 cm). The inner
wall of the cistern was rough to prevent laying eggs by the
fishes. Before stocking the fish the water was treated with at
1 ppm methylene blue. Breeding tank was provided with air
pump for oxygenation. The water-filled polythene bags were
provided with ice for cooling the substratum which acted as
best triggering factor for egg laying of the fish (Fig. 3).
The fishes were fed with Artemia nauplii, daphnia and
tubificid worms as per need in respect to age and size.
Water quality was maintained by changing freshwater
regularly. APHA (1998) and Michael (1990) were followed
to analyse water with a view to maintain the standard
quality of water.
Results and Discussion
Like many other catfishes, females are larger than males in
this species also. After attaining the age of 2 years, the
Cory cat spawns readily. The females matured at the age of
12.2 ± 1.8 SD months while the males attained maturity at
the age of 24.0 ± 1.6 SD months. Details of spawning of
Cory cat are presented in Table 1. They laid eggs at an
interval of 10.4 ± 2.1 SD days, depending on water tem-
perature. Eggs were laid in the evening hours or in early
morning. Eggs are adhesive in nature and were remain
attached to the polythene bag (Fig. 4). Eggs laid per
spawning pair was ranging from 175–225. Initially the
brood size was small but the same increased gradually in
subsequent spawning. The eggs started hatching after
3–5 days depending on the water temperature. The yolk sac
disappeared after 48 h of deposition and the larva turn into
spawn (Fig. 5). The spawns were seen to swallow newly
hatched Artemia or infusorians at the early stage. The small
fry was found to accept sieved zooplankton specially
Daphnia and Moina along with Artemia, while in advanced
stage they preferred chopped tubifex. Average size of fry
after 40 days of rearing was about 1 cm (Fig. 6). Annually,
at regulated temperature of 14–22 �C, 12–20 times
spawning was noted in a breeding season during November
to March. However, a female at a temperature range
Fig. 1 Male (above) and female (Below) Cory cat, Corydorus
aeneous
Fig. 2 Breeding setup of Cory cat in aquarium
Fig. 3 Breeding setup of Cory cat in cemented cisterns
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14–22 �C during October to April spawned maximum 25
times.
The details of commercial scale breeding and rearing
economics of Cory cat are presented in Tables 2. With a
minimum investment for 150 brooders (100 males with 50
females) unit one can easily earn an amount of Rs. 35,900
annually. The breeding-cum-egg laying, incubation-cum-
hatching, larval and fry rearing seem to occur at a wider
range of pH (6.2–8.5), temperature (14–28 �C) and hard-
ness (60–95 ppm) but it was noticed that percentage of
hatching and survival is greatly reduced by deviation from
the optimum range as stated in Table 3.
Ornamental fish farming has been emerging as a new
trend of aquaculture, and in West Bengal it has been
adopted by a considerable number of families to run their
households (Ghosh et al. 2000, 2001). Already 288 species
of ornamental fish have been identified in Indian market,
but only some common live bearers and egg layers are
being successfully bred here. The financial feasibility of
breeding and culture of exotic egg layer gold fish, angel
and live bearer like guppy has also been highlighted
(Mahapatra 2003; Mahapatra et al. 2000a, b, 2013). Less
space requirement and less investment with high cost
benefit ratio are the main advantages. It can be treated as a
small-scale bio-industry especially for women as an addi-
tional income-generating programme (Ghosh et al. 2000,
2001; Mahapatra et al. 1999).
The present study will help the fish farmer in breeding of
Cory cat and in turn will help to set profitable small scale
ornamental fish farm as a component of integrated rural
development. The breeding and rearing of Cory cat would
Table 1 Details of spawning of Albino Cory cat, Corydorus aeneus
S.
no.
Particulars Remarks
1 Age at first maturity of
female in months
(mean ± SD)
12.2 ± 1.8 75 % mature
2 Age at first maturity of
male in months
(mean ± SD)
24.0 ± 1.6 95 % mature
3 Age at first spawning in
months (mean ± SD)
24.4 ± 1.8 80 % female spawn at
22? months
4 No. of eggs laid per
spawning pair
(mean ± SE)
171.4 ± 9.5 Less number of eggs at
first spawning which
increased during
subsequent spawning
5 Interval between two
successive spawning
per individual in days
(mean ± SD)
10.4 ± 2.1 At an optimum
temperature of
14–22 �C
6 Spawning season Nov–March Also bred during
October to April
7 Ideal spawning
temperature
14–22 �C Do not lay egg during
cold climate especially
below 14 �C during
last week of December
or first week of
January
8 Number of spawning in
a season
(mean ± SD)
15.8 ± 3.6 Maximum 25 times at
regulated temperature
of 14–22 �C during
October to April
9 Fertilization percentage
(mean ± SD)
90.4 ± 5.2 Success mainly depends
on quality of brooders
10 Hatching percentage
(mean ± SD)
79.8 ± 4.6 During ideal temperature
of 14–22 �C
11 Hatching time (days) 3–5 Less time at optimum
temperature of 30 �C
12 Average number of
baby fish survived
after 40 days of
rearing per female
500 Average size after
40 days of rearing:
1 cm
Fig. 4 Adhesive eggs on polythene bag
Fig. 5 Spawn of Cory cat
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not only meet the demand of the local hobbyists of our
country but also ensure earning foreign currency, if plan-
ned properly for commercial production.
Acknowledgments Author is grateful to Mr. Naren Santra, Pro-
prietor of ‘Fish and Fun’, Kolkata for providing facilities to conduct
this study. Author is also grateful to Dr. W.S. Lakra, Director and
Vice Chancellors, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai
for providing necessary facilities to carry out the works.
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aeneus for 150 brooders (50$:100#)
Particulars Rate (Rs.) Total value
(Rs.)
A. Capital cost
Brood fish 150 brooders At Rs. 30 per pc 4,500
Cost of infrastructure At Rs. 50000
per unit
50,000
Total 54,000
B. Depreciation
Brood fish (life span: 5 years) 1/5 900
Infrastructure (life span: 20 years) 1/20 2,500
Total 3,400
C. Recurring expenditure
Food and medicine 2,000
Electricity and others 500
Labour charges 2,000
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D. Interest
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expenditure (C ? D)
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baby fish
50,000
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experiments
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cum-egg
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cum-
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rearing
Fry
rearing
Temperature
(�C)
Aquarium 16–22 16–24 19–25 20–26
Cemented
cisterns
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pH Aquarium 6.2–8.5 6.5–7.5 6.8–7.0 6.8–7.5
Cemented
cisterns
6.2–8.5 6.5–7.5 6.8–7.0 6.8–7.5
Dissolved
oxygen
(ppm)
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Cemented
cisterns
5.0–6.5 – 4.5–6.6 4.2–7.0
Hardness
(ppm)
Aquarium 60–95 60–70 75–85 80–90
Cemented
cisterns
60–95 60–70 75–85 80–90
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