Age and Reproductive Potential of Domesticated Golden Spinefoot, Siganus guttatus (Bloch) Breeders

Abstract

The supply of eggs and fry is one of the major constraints in the future development of aquaculture. Domestication of broodstock requires complete control of the reproductive biology for year-round spawning of the fish. Domestication of Siganus guttatus broodstock could alleviate broodstock shortages, enable selection of stock with desirable attributes, and allow continuous and sustainable production of juveniles. In this study, the reproductive potential of S. guttatus broodstock of different ages was assessed in terms of spawning frequency, fecundity, fertilization rate, number of larvae produced per spawning, and larval survival. Three age groups of siganid broostock were used in the study, namely, 5-6, 4-5 and 1-2 years old. The age of broodstock significantly affected spawning frequency and larval survival. No significant difference was observed among the different broodstock in terms of fecundity, fertilization rate, and number of larvae produced per spawning event.