THE ROLE OF ANDROGEN ON MASCULINIZATION AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF CYPRINUS CARPIO

Abstract

Despite the fact that Cyprinus carpio is third most culturable fish species in the world but due to pond breeder, it have constraint to over populate the pond, so overcome this problem, the present project “the role of androgen on masculinization and growth performance of Cyprinus carpio” was performed to determine the optimal dose rate of oral administration of the androgen 17α-Methyltestosterone (MT) for phenotypic sex reversal of C. carpio and comparing growth performance of sex reversed and normal C. carpio as well as in order to determine the effect of 17α-MT towards meat quality (proximate composition). The project comprised in two experimental phases i.e. phase I: sex reversal phase, in which sex reversal of C. carpio was done by oral administration of 17α-MT applied @ 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg.kg -1 of ornamental fish feed (30% crude protein), completed in five glass aquaria (70 litter capacity each) along with one replication, feeding @ 2% of wet body weight twice a time daily for 30days and phase II, the growth phase, was completed in 5 earthen ponds in which the growth performance of sex reversed and normal C. carpio feeding @ 2% of wet body weight along with organic manure (cow manure) @ 0.1gN/100g of fish body weight daily during the experiment periods of 281 days was monitored. Morphometric characteristics i.e. wet body weight and total length recorded showed statistically highly significant interaction on fortnightly basis and among the treatments (P<0.01). At the end of the project, sex evaluation and analysis of meat quality of experimental fish was performed. 100 % male population of C. caprio was achieved by 17α- MT @ 100mg.kg -1 of feed with respect to 50% male population in control treatment, resulting in increasing trend of crude protein and fat deposition as hormone (MT) concentration increased, yielding maximum 2398.83 kg gross fish production.hec -1 .yr -1 as compare to control treatment 50% male with minimum growth yield by control treatment was 1693.58 kg gross fish production.hec -1 .yr -1 .