Fertilization, hatching, survival and growth rates in reciprocal crosses of two strains of an African catfish Heterobranchus longifilis Valenciennes 1840 under controlled hatchery conditions

A diallelic cross between two strains [Layo strain (LS) and Noun strain (NS)] of the catfish Heterobranchus longifilis Valenciennes was carried out under controlled hatchery conditions to estimate their reproductive performance and aquaculture potential in terms of fertilizability, hatchability, survival, growth and heterosis. The average fertilization rate of all mating groups was as high as 90.4%, the fertilization rate of the purebred NS (95.2%) being significantly higher than that of the purebred LS or the reciprocal crosses (P