Induced nest spawning and artificial hatching of the fertilized eggs of mudskipper,Boleophthalmus pectinirostris

Abstract

In this study, nest spawning was successfully induced by exogenous hormone injections and seawater flow stimulation, and optimum condition for hatching fertilized eggs of burrow fish mudskipper,Boleophthalmus pectinirostris, was searched. Apart from spawning inside the nests, females also spawned outside the nests. The percentages of spawned nests were 8.0% to 24.2%. Most eggs were observed adhered to the inner wall of the top half of the nest. Fertilization rates of the nest-spawned eggs varied from 17.3% to 80.8%. Females could spawn after being artificially confined inside the nests with males at ratios of 1∶1 or 1∶2, but the spawned eggs were not fertilized. Mean hatching rates of artificially fertilized eggs incubated in round plastic buckets were 32.7%–70.6%, and in the net cages, were 4.2%–20.5%, respectively. Mean hatching rates of nest-fertilized eggs incubated in the round plastic buckets were 33.6%–76.3%, and in the net cages, were 5.9%–25.2%. Results showed that round bucket incubation was the best way for hatching fertilized eggs of mudskipper. Keeping the hatching seawater flowing is an important way for increasing the hatching rates of the mudskipper fertilized eggs.