The Effect of Broodstock Age Composition on the Types and Extent of External Abnormalities in Silver Carp Larvae and Fry (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix)

Subject Areas : Journal of Animal Biology

Hossein Eini Deyvshali ¹ , Asgar Zhahmatekesh Komaleh ² , Mehran Avakh Keysami ^{3 *} , Babak Tizkar ⁴ , Afshar Zoughi Shalmani ⁵ , محمد رهاننده ⁶

1 - Fisheries and Aquatic Research Department, Agricultural Research and Education Center and Natural Resources of Guilan Province, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran
2 - Fisheries and Aquatic Research Department, Agricultural Research and Education Center and Natural Resources of Guilan Province, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran
3 - Fisheries and Aquatic Research Department, Agricultural Research and Education Center and Natural Resources of Guilan Province, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran
4 - Fisheries and Aquatic Research Department, Agricultural Research and Education Center and Natural Resources of Guilan Province, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran
5 - Fisheries and Aquatic Research Department, Agricultural Research and Education Center and Natural Resources of Guilan Province, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran
6 - Fisheries and Aquatic Research Department, Agricultural Research and Education Center and Natural Resources of Guilan Province, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran

Received: 2025-07-15 Accepted : 2025-09-03 Published : 2025-11-30

Keywords: Silver carp, larva, fry, abnormality, reproductive age.,

Abstract :

This study was conducted to investigate the types and extent of appearance abnormalities of silver carp larvae and fry (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix) by crossing between the breeders in 4 different treatments. Treatment 1 (females aged 4⁺ and males 4⁺), treatment 2 (females aged 5⁺and males 4⁺), treatment 3 (females aged 5⁺ and males 5⁺), treatment 4 (females aged 5⁺ and 4⁺and males 4⁺and 5⁺). Larvae and fry extracted from breeders were randomly released into 100-L plastic tanks (indoors) and cages in an earthen pond, respectively. Larvae were fed with powdered milk and fry were fed with powdered food. The types and extent of apparent abnormalities were determined in larvae (1, 3 and 5 days-old) and fry (32 days old). The highest abnormality in terms of larval age was (1.703±0.336) (%) in three-day-old larvae, and the highest type of abnormality was axial body deviation (2.133±0.133) (%), and its highest extent was obtained in the larval period with an average of (1.518±0.759) (%) in experimental treatment 3. The most common abnormality observed in fry was caudal fin erosion, and the most frequent example of this abnormality was seen in fry of treatment 4 (25.426±0.073) (%). In comparison, the lowest diversity (5.521±2.435) (%) and the lowest frequency of abnormalities (3.589±2.502) (%), the highest average weight gain, length and survival were obtained in the fry of experimental group 2. Considering the identical conditions created for the treatments and the results of the study, it was determined that in the crossings of different age groups, treatment 2 caused a significant reduction in defects and an increase in growth and survival. Therefore, maybe the crossing of female producers aged 5⁺ and male producers aged 4⁺ could be effective in reducing the incidence of abnormalities in the production of silver carp larvae and fry.

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