Now that spring is well and truly here, a lot of people have been asking me about the possibility and logistics behind using hormonal induction for breeding fish. Koi are highly fecund and you might ask why we use hormones. Hormones do not magically make your fish fertile. They can only exert their effects at the right time, to help speed up the final maturation process.
What are the benefits to artificially spawn fish? I’ve listed a few below:
- Ability to select breeding pairs,
- Ability to check fertility of male fish (sperm motility and shape can be assessed microscopically),
- Be able to compress & synchronise spawning period for ease of management,
- Increased chances of fertilisation and yield,
- And last but not least, by increasing the percentage of eggs fertilised, it reduces the likelihood of unfertilised eggs contaminating healthy ones when they degenerate and grow bacteria and fungi.
I’d like refer you to one of my previous posts for a pictorial summary of the process – https://thefishvet.com/2012/02/02/pictorial-guide-for-fish-breeding-using-hormones/
Please note that veterinarians are only allowed to prescribe and/or dispense medicines to clients who have a genuine ‘veterinary-client-patient-relationship’ (V.C.P.R.).
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Yours sincerely,
Dr Richmond Loh DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology) Murdoch, MANZCVS (Aquatics & Pathobiology), CertAqV.
Aquatic Veterinarian | Adjunct Lecturer Murdoch University | President-elect WAVMA |
Secretary Aquatic Animal Health Chapter – ANZCVS.
The Fish Vet, Perth, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA.
Mobile Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services for fish and other aquatic creatures.
http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)421 822 383
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