breeding barramundi

[powersalt]

hi,
does anyone here know any technique to breed barramundi in an aquarium or pond? If so, could any1 please write up some description.
i have searched the net for some techniques but to no avail (maybe lousy searching skill).What i do know is tat this fish requires saltwater. So if anyone know and ever bred this fish in vitro, i would greatly appreciate if u share some techniques.

thanx

 

[powersalt]

anyone?

 

[cichlaguapote]

Only things I know... Which you probably already know.. (Taken from
http://wetpetz.com/barramundi.htm)

I honestly don't think there's anyone on here breeding barramundi though.


Breeding....

Barramundi are protoandrous hermaphrodites. This means they start life as males, reaching maturity at around 3 to 4 years of age and later change gender and become females, usually at around 5 years of age.
Small fish are almost exclusively male with the percentage of females increasing with overall length.
The female produces a large number of small, non-adhesive eggsof between 0.6 mm and 0.9 mm in diameter . The eggs appear pinkish when water the shell ardens in the water.
The eggs hatch within 15-20 hours at which time the larvae are around 1.5 mm in length and the mouth and eyes are well developed. They still have a large yolk sac.
At 2.5 mm the mouth is large and open, the yolk sac is greatly reduced and the pectoral fins are beginning to develop.
Above this size the larvae begin to exhibit the characteristic colouration of juvenile Barramundi - overall brown mottled markings with a white stripes running lengthwise along the head.
At 3.5 mm the yolk sac is all but gone, fin rays are beginning to appear and the teeth are well developed.
By day five after hatching the yolk sac has been completely absorbed and by 8.5 mm the fins are fully developed.
Males and females migrate into estuaries to breed, and then return to their original river systems.
Barramundi practice no brood care and baby Barramundi are quite cannabilistic.
Breeding does not occur in aquariums as they need to migrate to breed.

 

[Mystix212]

Unless you had a 1000G+ tank and increased/decreased the salinty, you MIGHT (15% chance) be able to breed them, though this would prove very difficult.

 

[powersalt]

yea, i reckon that breeding barra is not a straight forward stuff. But seriously it wud be a real achievement if the breeding can be done in an aquarium without the use of injecting hormones n things like tat, like some farms had been doing. but cheers for the replies tho.

 

[Mystix212]

I once saw an all glass tank (Easily 2500G's) in a camping superstore called 'Anaconda'. It housed 2 large barramundi's and some little feeders, lol. They then ate them a few weeks later.

 

[woof den]

hi,
does anyone here know any technique to breed barramundi in an aquarium or pond? If so, could any1 please write up some description.
i have searched the net for some techniques but to no avail (maybe lousy searching skill).What i do know is tat this fish requires saltwater. So if anyone know and ever bred this fish in vitro, i would greatly appreciate if u share some techniques.

thanx

I have 2 barramundis that live together in 1 tank (fresh water), and they cant breed, barramundi hafto travle to breed. I have never seen or herd of a barry breeding in a tank , so you have no luck breeding them in a tank,

If you want any more info just emal me on woof_den01@hotmail.com

Here is a link to all u need to know about barramundi,

file:///home/prowlz/Desktop/barramundi.htm
http://www.nativefish.asn.au/barramundi.html


Here is some more info

Care of Newly Captured
Barramundi Broodstock

G. Schipp, Darwin Aquaculture Centre
The procedures described are based on those successfully used at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre
CAPTURE TECHNIQUES
Gill Netting
Gill netting is the preferred method for capture of broodstock. If carried out correctly this method
will not jeopardise the survival of valuable fish.
The nets are checked frequently throughout the fishing period and any fish caught are quickly
removed and transferred to a 200 litre fibreglass tank on board a dinghy. Oxygen is bubbled into
this tank via a medical oxygen regulator at between 4 and 6 litres per minute. The water
temperature in the tank is monitored and if it rises above 30°C, ice is added to bring it down to
26°C. The tank is kept shaded and a maximum of 40 kilograms of live fish are kept in it at any
time. Fish can be kept on board the dinghy for up to six hours.
Transport
Newly captured fish are transferred to a 1000 litre-trailer mounted fish tanker for transport to the
hatchery. A maximum of 80kgs of live fish may be carried in a tanker of this size. Oxygen is
bubbled through the water and the temperature is kept below 30°C. Anaesthetic is not
necessary for short journeys in a well-aerated transport tank.


ACCLIMATISATION
Arrival at the Hatchery
At the hatchery the fish are placed in 8000 litre tanks through which brackish water is flowing at
a salinity of 9 ppt. This lower salinity level aids the recovery from capture injuries. Transfer of
the fish direct from normal sea-water to brackish water has no
Apparent ill effects
The 8000 litre tanks serve two purposes. Firstly they act to quarantine the new arrivals from
resident broodstock; and secondly, they make observation and training the fish to feed much
easier.

Acclimatisation of Barramundi Broodstock
Before the fish are placed in the tank, the wounds of those with significant injuries are swabbed
with Betadine antiseptic.

As a rule, antibiotics are not used in the hatchery because their
indiscriminate application may lead to problems with bacterial resistance.
Once the fish have recovered from their capture injuries and are feeding well, they are weighed,
measured, tagged and the salinity of the water is raised to 30-32 ppt over several days. The fish
are transferred to the main broodstock holding tanks 2-3 weeks later.
Feeding
Live bait fish, principally mullet, are used for the first few feeds for newly caught broodstock.
Three to four small fish per barramundi should be sufficient. The delay before feeding
commences depends largely on the extent of capture injuries sustained by the broodstock.
Newly caught barramundi will occasionally eat the day after capture.
Once feeding has been established the diet of live fish can be changed gradually to freshly
thawed fish, squid and prawns. The transition period may take up to two weeks or longer.
It is important that high quality food is used for the broodstock. Food should be snap frozen
when fresh and stored at a temperature of less that -18°C. Good quality feed helps maintain
condition and aids reproductive development. A varied diet is best and may consist of small
whole mullet, squid, whiting, garfish, bream and prawns in varying proportions. Whole fish and
squid, up to 15 cm total length, are given if possible, to save preparation time.
Feeding should be at approximately the same time every day, between 1-2:00pm. Generally no
more than 3-5% of their body weight is given per fish per day. Greater quantities may lead to fat
deposits which interfere with roe development in the females.
The actual quantities of food eaten depend on water temperature. Barramundi eat much less
when the water temperature falls below 28°C.

NOTE: Any sudden drop in appetite should be investigated as this may indicate a health
problem.