Maturation and spawning of Penaeus indicus using different ablation methods

Abstract

Wild immature Penaeus indicus females (11.5 ± 3.1 g body weight) were ablated by pinching, cautery or tying of one eyestalk, and stocked with control (unablated) females and males (9.2 ± 1.5 g) in a 12-m³ maturation tank. Full ovarian maturation and spawning were attained 4 days after ablation/stocking in all treatments, with a peak at 5–6 days. Seventy-five percent of ablated and unablated females spawned during the study period. Average egg numbers from complete spawns increased with size of females for all treatments. There was no significant difference in fecundity of complete spawns from the various treatments. However, hatch rates of unablated P. indicus were significantly higher than eyestalk-pinched females but not those ablated by cautery and tying. Similarly, survival after the 15-day period was lowest among pinched females.