Backyard seed production of pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis) in FRP/cement tanks using river water: A case study from Chengannur, Kerala

Smina, M S and Joseph, Shoji and Ajith Kumar, P B (2025) Backyard seed production of pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis) in FRP/cement tanks using river water: A case study from Chengannur, Kerala. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 13 (3). pp. 52-55. ISSN 2320-7078

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Abstract

Pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis), coming in the indigenous Asian cichlids is the state fish of Kerala is a delicacy in Kerala. However, scarcity of adequate quality seeds in required time and quantity is the major bottleneck in the development of its large scale aquaculture practices like cage culture. Sustainable seed production is mainly hampered due to lack of captive reproduction by hatcheries and/or farmers. In the present study, an attempt was made in the farmer’s backyard in collaboration with the farmer to achieve the natural spawning and seed production of pearl spot in small FRP/cement tanks, using wild parents from River Pampa, at Chengannur, in Kerala. Adult pearl spots ranging in size between 9 to 14 cm and 100 to 110 g were collected either from river or collected earlier and kept in cages moored in the river were stocked for acclimatization in the breeding tanks for one to two weeks. River water sand was used in the experimental tanks as the medium and substratum. Bamboo poles and roofing tiles were placed into the tank corners for hiding and egg deposition while natural spawning as these fishes are substrate spawners. Fishes were fed daily at ad libitum with artificial feeds and water exchange (50 to 60%) was done with filtered natural river water after feeding. Natural spawning, and attached eggs were obtained after three to five weeks in the bamboo poles or roofing tiles.

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