Indigenous Sandy Loaches in Focus: Pioneering Breeding Successof Acanthocobitis Botia in Bangladesh

Abstract

Successful spawning induction occurs when males and females exhibit synchronized behavior. In a previous study, we successfully demonstrated the reproductive biology and induction of spawning in loaches by administering synthetic hormones through injections. Building upon this research, we have applied the same technique to sandy loaches, specifically Acanthocobitis Botia. We injected the GnRH analog synthetic hormone ovaprim into the fish’s body in this study. Within 6-8 hours of the injections, ovulation occurred, leading to the male and female engaging in spawning behavior. Our results showed that administering 1ml/kg of ovaprim in T3 yielded the most favorable outcomes in terms of the number of fish laying eggs (100%), total spawning eggs (290±42), fertilization rate (72±4.0), hatching rate (70±4.0), and survival of hatchlings (64±3.60) compared to the 0.75ml/kg in T2 and 0.5ml/kg in T1 treatments. No spawning activity was observed in the control group that did not receive injections. These findings have significant implications for the aquarium industry, as they can help promote the breeding of indigenous small fishes like loaches. Furthermore, this research contributes to the conservation efforts aimed at preserving the vibrant and diverse population of these colorful fishes in their natural habitats.