Journal of Environmental Biology

Improved performance of lemon fin barb hybrid (Hypsibarbus wetmorei ♂ ? Barbodes gonionotus ♀) at elevated salinities

N. Romano^1,2*, A. Aliff¹ and F. Syukri¹

¹Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

²Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, 1200 North University Drive, Pine Bluff 71601, AR, USA

*Corresponding Author E-mail: romano.nicholas5@gmail.com

Key words

Euryhalinity

Glycogen

Heterosis

Hybrid vigor

Salinity

Publication Data

Paper received : 20.07.2017

Revised received : 26.10.2017

Accepted : 28.12.2017

Abstract

Aim: Interest in lemon fin barb hybrid (LFBH) aquaculture has been increasing, but there is limited information regarding optimal nursery conditions.

Methodology: In this study, LFBH fry (initial mean weight = 1.3 ? 0.2 cm) were subjected to increasing salinities of 0, 3, 6 and 9 ppt. Each treatment was triplicated with 15 fish in each replicate.? After 30 days, the survival, growth and whole-body histology was examined.?

Results: No mortalities occurred over the study duration, but there was a significantly positive relationship (p < 0.001; R2 = 0.996) between salinity and specific growth rates for weight. Salinity had no adverse effect on the gill or internal organ structure, as well as no effect to the prevalence of gill mucous cells. However, there appeared to be slightly more liver glycogen in fish subjected to 6 and 9 ppt. This study demonstrates the euryhalinity of LFBH over the more stenohaline characteristic of their parent, Barbodes gonionotus.

Interpretation: The euryhalinity of LFBH should provide more flexibility in their culture, such as polyculture with other brackish water species, as well as in areas experiencing increase salinization. Therefore, LFBH may provide greater food security in some areas.

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