CAPTIVE BREEDING AND GROWOUT

OF GOLDEN MAHSEER

Dr. Debajit Sarma

Senior Scientist
Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research
Bhimtal, Nainital-263136, Uttarakhand
The important coldwater aquatic resources

Water bodies Area

Steams/ Rivers 10,000 km

Natural lakes 20,500 ha
Reservoirs 50,000 ha
Brackish water lakes 2,500 ha
Mahseer the King of
Game fishes
 Important Species of Mahseer

Tor mussullah
Tor putitora

Tor khudree Tor tor

Tor douronensis Neolissochilus hexagonolepis

Distribution
All along the Himalayas,Assam, J&K, Sikkim
Afghanistan,Bangladesh, China, Myanmar,
Nepal and Pakistan

Breeds three times

1. January and February
2. May and June
3. July to October
Food and Feeding habit
Omnivorous ( Feeds on algae, insect
larvae etc.)
Prefer carnivorous feed during juvenile
and herbivorous during adult stages.

Maturity
Male 2+yr
Female 3+yr
Fecundity
3375-8944 nos. ova/kg body weight
NATURAL HABITAT
 Causes of depletion

The ultimate reason for the loss of biodiversity

and natural resources is directly related to the
growth in human population and the related
stresses, which could be, summarised as follows.

• HABITAT DESTRUCTION
• OVER EXPLOITATION
• WANTON DESTRUCTION
• AQUATIC POLLUTION
• INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC FISHES
 Inherent constraints in natural breeding
• Extremely low fecundity
• Eggs demersal - can sink in mud and perish
• Hatching period is too long - 80 to 90 hrs
• Hatchling to free swimming stage - 10 days.
• From egg to free swimming stage for 15 days
they are highly vulnerable to all kinds of
predators

Artificial propagation
 By collecting brood fish from natural breeding grounds
 Induced breeding (hypophysation)
 Natural breeding in ponds
Mahseer Brooders
Chasing
Stripping
 Fertilization

Mixing of eggs with milt Washing of excess milt

 Hatchery Pre-requisite
Water flow
1 L/m Incubation & rearing 2000eggs at 20-28oC.
3-4 L/m Rearing 2000 fry (0-3 months) at 20-27oC
4-6 L/m Rearing 1500 fingerlings (4-9months old)

Flow through hatchery

Over head tank 1000 L installed at a height of 5 m above
Hatchery tanks galvanised iron sheets or fibre glass of
200x60x30cm of size
Hatching trays 50x30x10 cm with synthetic netting cloth
of 1mm mesh size. 5000-6000 eggs can be
stocked
Egg development
Egg development
Mahseer
eggs
Embryonic development of
mahseer
Larval development of mahseer
 Egg and larval development

Colour Lemon yellow/ Brownish golden

Fertilisation 90-99%
Hatching 80-96 hrs at 22-24oC
Hatching 80-85%
 Mahseer

FRY FINGERLINGS
Artificial feeding
Mahseer Seed Ranching
Mahseer Ranching
 Air transport of eggs

To facilitate the distribution of Mahseer seed to

distant places, Mahseer eggs were transported
in moist cotton by air. Fertilized eggs after water
hardening process were placed between the
layers of moist cotton in 2-3 layers and then
kept in plastic boxes. As the minimum hatching
period is 70 hours, sufficient time is available to
transport the eggs to long distances. The eggs
can be hatched in normal manner.
Transportation of mahseer seed
 R & D in Mahseer

 Conservation and rehabilitation of

endangered mahseers are of national
importance to stock those water bodies
which are having facilities of natural
breeding and nursery ground.
 Stop illegal killing by dynamiting or any
destructive fishing methods.
 Develop suitable device for facilitating
the crossing of the barriers during
migration.Strict enforcement of closed
season for commercial fishing.
 Proper sanctuaries of mahseer must be
identified and developed.
 R & D in Mahseer

 Nutritive artificial deeds for different stages of

mahseer development must be developed.
 Selective breeding must be adopted for developing
healthy and fast growing mahseer.
 Pen and cage culture must be taken up near the
breeding/chasing areas of brooder in the reservoirs
during natural breeding migration.
 Intensive extension program must be launched with a
view to create awareness among the local people for
the protection of mahseer.
 Efforts must be made to stock the seed in those water
bodies where there is facility of breeding and nursery
ground, to enable the fish to develop its own progeny.
 SAVE
MAHSEER
An important
component of
biodiversity