Induced ovulation, spawning, egg incubation, and hatching of the cyprinid fish Labeo victorianus in captivity

Two spawning inducing agents—Aquaspawn (a rapidly metabolized synthetic decapeptide gonadotropin‐releasing hormone [GnRH]) and Dagin ([D‐Arg6, Pro9‐NEt]‐sGnRH) combined with 20 mg/kg of the water‐soluble dopamine receptor antagonist metoclopramide (GnRH + MET)—were tested for their efficacy in stimulating ovulation in Labeo victorianus held in its natural environment and under captive conditions. Successful ovulation, when migratory vesicle oocytes became completely transparent, was obtained with GnRH + MET, while GnRH only caused oocyte clearance up to the highly translucent phase. L. victorianus eggs were non‐adhesive, semi‐buoyant, and transparent at ovulation. First hatching occurred after 26 h and lasted for 8 h at 24 C. Water temperature was shown to significantly affect spawning latency and incubation time. Thus, L. victorianus could be successfully induced to spawn using a synthetic gonadotropin‐releasing hormone coupled with a dopamine antagonist followed by natural fertilization in floating net cages at temperatures between 24 and 27 C.