Growth and Production of the Balsas Catfish, Ictalurus ... - UAEM
Growth and Production of the Balsas Catfish, Ictalurus ... - UAEM
Growth and Production of the Balsas Catfish, Ictalurus ... - UAEM
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Jouma1 o( Aqucicuture ., th6 TfOP'CS Ma Y 2002 133<br />
DISCUSSION<br />
The growth season at Jicarero Farm is related to water temperature <strong>and</strong><br />
goes from <strong>the</strong> beginning 01 June lo <strong>the</strong> end 01 November. PotentiaJ<br />
productioo appears most lavourable towards <strong>the</strong> summer season. The<br />
<strong>Balsas</strong> catfish is considered <strong>the</strong> mosl promising native lish tor culture in<br />
ponds <strong>of</strong> central <strong>and</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn Mexico inl<strong>and</strong> waters, basically because<br />
<strong>the</strong>y can adapt ver)' well to environment changes such as water temperature.<br />
Guthrie <strong>and</strong> Avauit (~968; 1969), indicated that l. punctatus with an \¡<br />
inñial weigh! <strong>of</strong> 18 g, in 10 months time can reach 589 g under cultura<br />
conditioos: also, l. furcatus with an average weighl <strong>of</strong> 13.6 9 in <strong>the</strong> same<br />
period <strong>of</strong> time in creases upto 272.5 9 <strong>and</strong> l. eatus wilh aro initia! mean<br />
weighl <strong>of</strong> 18 9 in 9 months reaches 317.5 9 <strong>of</strong> average weight. Channel<br />
catfish under semi-intensive culture cooditions can reach ir. 12 lo 18<br />
monlhs a commercial weight <strong>of</strong> 450 9 (Bardach et al., 1972). Our data<br />
shows that unoer ear<strong>the</strong>n poods cuíture conditions <strong>the</strong> Baisas catfish can<br />
reacn similar wp.ights to those reached by l. punctatus, 1. furcatus aliá<br />
l. estos. The development <strong>of</strong> bitechniques on <strong>the</strong> reproduction oí fish<br />
species in fish farms <strong>and</strong> ponds had elucidated <strong>the</strong> essential biological<br />
characteristics for rearing Ihe specles on 2. commercial scale. <strong>Balsas</strong><br />
catfish raised in ponds consumed both natural <strong>and</strong> precared diets <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> spectrum <strong>of</strong> foods is found to be comparatively wider with. respect<br />
to o<strong>the</strong>r aquaculture species (Kato <strong>and</strong> Romo, 1981). Our investigations<br />
have shown that in pond farms, <strong>Balsas</strong> catñsh spawned successfully with<br />
<strong>and</strong> without administration ot hypophyseal injection. The results ot acclimatization<br />
ot <strong>Balsas</strong> catfish in Morelos, State. <strong>of</strong> Mexico has shown<br />
that it is very promising for aquaculturists. The overall conclusion <strong>of</strong> this<br />
study shoulé ')e that <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> this species is indeed a highly variable<br />
characteristic. ConsequenUy, <strong>the</strong> reported values for <strong>the</strong> parameters used<br />
in various relations are representativa ooly for <strong>the</strong> condition prevailing in<br />
this experíment. <strong>Balsas</strong> catfish is a valuable species tor introduction to<br />
ponds in sou<strong>the</strong>m <strong>and</strong> central Mexico <strong>and</strong> tor rearing in fish farrn<br />
monoculture <strong>and</strong> polyculturé systems.<br />
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS<br />
We would like to acknowledge A.L Martinez ·Solís who took part in <strong>the</strong><br />
experiment.<br />
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