Relationship Between Somatic, Gonadal Characteristics and Semen Quality in The Male African Catfish <i>Clarias Gariepinus</i> Broodstock

Abstract

Testes quality assessment of African Catfish broodstock was investigated using fifteen male broodstocks of Clarias gariepinus with mean weight of 570.8 g + 2.04. Testes were removed and weighed and semen from the testes were released into a petri dish and measured in ml using a plastic syringe. 1:50 dilution ratio with potassium chloride was used as the diluent to facilitate counting of the spermatozoa. The highest sperm count was 9.7 x 1010 spm/ml and the least was 3.8 x 1010 spm/ml, also highest semen volume of 1.3 ml was recorded as against 0.21 ml which was the lowest, percentage motility of the semen varied between 57.1% and 93.7%. Correlation between % motility and sperm count was significant (P = 0.00007 and r = 0.845) which indicates a strong positive correlation between the two parameters. Correlation between weight of testes and volume of semen was also very significant (P = 0.0000 and r = 0.978. Correlation between body weight and weight of testes was significant (P = 0.0049 and r = 0.684) and strongly positive while a significant correlation was observed between volume of semen and the weight of broodstock which was also a strong positive correlation (P = 0.0053 and r = 0.679). Volume of semen can be predicted using: Vol of Semen = - 0.219 + 0.000102 Wt. of. Male + 0.356 Wt. of Testes (r2 = 95.7% (Adjusted = 94.9%), P = 0.000) and % Motility can also be predicted from the equation: % Motility = 39.0 + 7.4 Vol of Semen + 9 x10-10 Sperm Count - 11.6 Wt. of. Testes (r2 = 79.2% (Adjusted = 73.5%), P = 0.000).