This document summarizes a study on inducing breeding of Tinfoil Barb (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii) fish using the hormone Ovaprim. The study tested different dosage levels of Ovaprim injected into male and female Tinfoil Barb and measured the resulting ovulation time and fertility rates. The study found that dosages of 0.4-0.5 mL/kg produced the highest fertility rates of 73.33-80.67% and relatively short ovulation times of 5.43-6.10 hours. The recommended protocol is a single dosage of 0.4-0.5 mL/kg Ovaprim injected into peak maturity female and half dosage injected into male fish at

1. Induced breeding of Tinfoil Barb
(Barbonymus schwanenfeldii) (Bleeker, 1854)
using Ovaprim .
By
E.D.M. Epasinghe, A.M.A.N. Adikari, T.A.D.W. Karunaratne,
H.M.P. Kithsiri, V. Pahalawattarachchi

2. Tinfoil Barb [TFB]
§ Globally popular aquarium Cyprinid
§ Native to Southeast Asia
§ No authentic records on its natural
spawning in captive condition in Sri
Lanka
Objective of breeding TFB
§ Inducing the spawning of captive reared TFB using
Ovaprim
§ Introducing less time consuming and fruitful breeding
method for commercial scale fish breeders in Sri Lanka

3. Materials and methods
Inducing agent - Ovaprim
— Uses to induce ovulation and
spermiation in fish
— A synthetic GnRH [1 mL
contains 20 µg of GnRH + 10
mg Domperidon]
— Ready to inject product
liquid

4. Selection of brood fish
— Selected randomly based on
their external features.
— Distended abdominal region-
— Normal abdominal region-
— Sedated fish in 65 mg/L TMS
— Females were subjected to Intra
Ovarian Biopsy.
— Males were checked for
secretion of milt
Materials and methods

5. Confirmation of fish maturity,
— 18 females with Migratory stage GV
— 18 males Trickled milt when a slight
pressure was applied at the vent
Administration of Ovaprim within
minimum possible period of time
— Injected single dose
— IM injection to the dorsal musculature
Materials and methods
Avg: BW
0.23 ± 0.01
kg

6. Germinal vesicle

7. Dose
mL/kg of
BW
0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 Control
Un injected
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 Un injected
The injected TFBs were kept at 100 L glass tank with preconditioned
water aerating water continuously
Sex ration 1:1 male to female
Each experimental group comprised of three replicates.
Materials and methods
Hormone doses
Breeding
performance
Ovulation time (hrs)
Fertility rate (%)
In addition,
data
collected on
Post experimental mortality rate of brooders
Water quality parameters in the experimental tanks

8. Identification of Ovulation time
— In order to identify the correct ovulating time - after 3
hrs by the injection
— Females vent was slightly pressed very carefully to facilitate
come out eggs- repeated in every half an hour
— Did not try by force
— Expected free flow of eggs after completion of ovulation
— Collecting of milt
— Just after confirmed the complete ovulation in females
— Males were stripped first
— Fertilization
— Dry method was followed to fertilize eggs
— Fertility rate
— Sub sample of eggs checked under the microscope to identify the
first cleavage stage of embryonic development.

9. Cleavage stages of embryonic development of TFB
4 Cell
16 Cell
Cleavage
Blastula

10. Results and discussion.
Dose
mL/kg
of BW
0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 Control
Un injected
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30
Ovulation
time/ hrs
11.00 ±
0.51a
9.20 ±
0.17b
5.43 ±
0.51c
6.10
± 0.17c
3.20 ±
0.17d
not
observed
Fertility
rate %
27.84
± 2.36a
50.5 ±
7.09b
73.33 ±
4.51c
80.67
± 5.13c
33.33 ±
9.07a
not
observed
Data was analyzed with one way ANOVA and the Tukey test in SPSS software.
Values are presented as means ± S.D.
Means in each raw with different superscripts are significantly different from
each other.

11. 11.00
9.20
5.43
6.10
3.20
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Ovulationtime(hrs)
Dose- mL/kg of BW
Relationship of Hormone dose Vs Ovulation time
Dosage/mLkg-1
of BW
0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60
P
value
Ovulation
time/ hrs
11.00 ± 0.51a 9.20 ± 0.17b 5.43 ± 0.51c 6.10 ± 0.17c 3.20 ± 0.17d 0.000
Fertility rate % 27.84 ± 2.36a 50.5 ± 7.09b 73.33 ± 4.51c 80.67 ± 5.13c 33.33 ± 9.07a 0.000

12. 27.84
50.50
73.33
80.67
33.33
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Fertilityrate(%)
Dose- mL/kg of BW
Relationship of Hormone dose Vs Fertility rate
Dosage/mLkg-1
of BW
0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 P value
Ovulation time/
hrs
11.00 ± 0.51a 9.20 ± 0.17b 5.43 ± 0.51c 6.10 ± 0.17c 3.20 ± 0.17d 0.000
Fertility rate % 27.84 ± 2.36a 50.5 ± 7.09b 73.33 ± 4.51c 80.67 ± 5.13c 33.33 ± 9.07a 0.000

13. Results and discussion.
— In the post spawning period
— survival rate of brooders was 100%
— the range of hormone dosages - not harmful
— During the latency period temperature ranged from
27.4 0C 27.8 0C , pH was measured as 7.3, Breeding
tanks were aerated continuosly

14. Conclusion
— Recommended dosages of obtain highest fertility rates
and relatively short ovulation times are 0.4 -0.5 mlkg-1
single dosage of Ovaprim to the female and half the
dosage to the male at a same time.
Female fish should be induced when they are at the
peak of GV migratory stage (stage IV)
and,
Male should ooze sperm with gentle pressure.

15. Dose calculation
— This is a 1.0 mL cyringe.
— It has been graduated in to the 50 units.
— Therefore, a one unit is equal to 0.02 mL
— We need to adjust 1 unit = 0.005 mL of hormone
Normal saline 0.75 ml 0.25 ml
hormone
Dose
mL/kg of
BW
0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Recommended dose
by producer
0.6 Control
Un injected
0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 Un injected
For 0.23 kgFor 0.23 kg
of BW /unitof BW /unit
9 14 18 23 28
4.5 7 9 12 14

16. To improve hatchability
— Introduce different hatching techniques
in order to increase the hatching rate
— Eggs are semi buoyant
Future research needs
Effect of other hormone products which contains GnRH
on TFB breeding should be monitored
WOVA.FH , Ovatide®, Ovulin® - synthetic products