Induced spawning and early ontogeny in hatchery-reared catfish Zungaro jahu (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae)

Hatchery-kept catfish jahus Zungaro jahu (Ihering, 1898) were induced to spawn with carp pituitary extract. The telolecithal eggs were round (1.6 +/- 0.1 mm in diameter), demersal, free, and covered with a 0.4 mm-thick jelly coat. The gonadosomatic index of 2.8 was comparable to that of other Pimelodidae. The number of eggs x g of oval was 804 +/- 144. Hatching occurred 14.5 h after fertilization, at a temperature of 27.3 +/- 0.4 degrees C. The newly-hatched embryos measured 3.9-4.3 mm of total length (TL). At 18 h post-hatching (HPH; 5.3 +/- 0.1 mm TL), the retina was pigmented, the mouth opened and dorsoflexion of the notochord had initiated. At 36 HPH (6.4 +/- 0.2 mm TL), fusiform chromatophores were vertically arranged in the primordial fin fold and the notochord was dorsoflexed. The yolk sac was almost exhausted by 48 HPH (7.3 +/- 0.2 mm TL). At 128 HPH (8.6 +/- 0.6 mm TL) the pectoral, dorsal, adipose, caudal, anal, and pelvic fins were readily observable whereas the primordial fin fold was no longer visible. At 224 HPH (16.6 +/- 2.5 mm TL), the metamorphosis was completed and the larvae had acquired the juvenile appearance.