Induced ovulation of yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) using a combination of a gonadotrop-releasing hormone analogue and domperidone

Abstract

The effects of an intraperitoneal hormone injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (D-Ala6, Pro9-NEt GnRHa) alone or in combination with a dopamine antagonist, domperidone (DOM), on ovulation induction in yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco were tested. The hormone treatments were as follows: 6 mg kg−1 body weight (BW) of carp pituitary extract as a positive control, GnRHa 10, 20, 40 and 80 μg kg−1 BW and a combination of GnRHa and DOM as follows: 10 μg+5 mg, 20 μg+10 mg, 40 μg+20 mg and 80 μg+40 mg kg−1 BW. Physiological saline (0.7% NaCl) was used as a negative control. Significant differences in the ovulation ratio, latency period and ovulation index (OI) were observed among treatments (P<0.05). The combination of GnRHa and DOM at doses of 40 μg+20 mg kg−1 BW had higher values of the ovulation ratio and OI, and a shorter latency period compared with other treatments. The highest OI in GnRHa treatments was only 56.67%, suggesting a dopaminergic tone on gonadotropin secretion in this fish at the pre-ovulatory stage. Therefore, ovulation can be successfully induced in yellow catfish with 40 μg kg−1 GnRHa+20 mg kg−1 DOM without affecting the egg quality.