Factors Influencing the Enumeration of Channel Catfish Eggs

Abstract

Abstract The effects of maternal weight, egg mass weight, and age of egg mass on the number of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) eggs per gram of egg mass were evaluated. The relationship of female weight to size of egg mass produced was also considered. There was not a strong correlation between female weight and weight of egg mass produced (r = 0.38). Mean number of eggs spawned per kilogram of female ranged from 677 to 12,321. The mean number of eggs per gram of egg mass ranged from 11 to 42 for egg masses collected at 2–3-d intervals. Younger egg masses had fewer eggs per gram than older masses. The percentage of matrix in an egg mass declined as the age of the egg mass increased (r 2 = 0.69, P < 0.01).