Observations on rearing of hatchlings of catfish Mystus seenghala (Sykes)

Experiments were conducted during 1974 and 1975 to determine a suitable feed for rearing in captivity the hatchlings of the catfish Mystus seenghala (Sykes), collected from natural breeding pits. These hatchlings, in the breeding pits under natural conditions, feed on the scum exuded from the body of guarding male parent fish. Earlier workers found it difficult to rear the hatchlings in captivity for want of a suitable substitute for scum. Six feeds were tried, of which live chironomid egg-mass was observed to be the most suitable substitute for the scum. It was also observed that to train the hatchlings to accept any supplementary feed, initial feeding with chironomid egg-mass was essential. The successful rearing of seenghala hatchlings by feeding initially with the chironomid egg-mass and subsequently with semi-boiled trash fish, paves the way for successful culture of this species.