Reproductive performance of pacu, piracanjuba and curimba induced by busereline extract

Abstract

The analogues of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRHa) as buserelin have advantages in relation to gonadotropins. Considering the lack of information on the reproductive performance of rheophilic species induced by such hormones, this study aimed to evaluate the breeding performance of pacu (Piaractus mespotamicus), piracanjuba (Brycon orbygnianus) and curimba (Prochilodus lineatus) treated with buserelin extract (EB). Only in females was applied a previous dose of 0.125 mL kg^-1 of fish. Twelve hours later, both males and females received a dose of 0.25 mL of EB kg^-1, and then, another dose of 0.75 mL of EB kg^-1 12 hours later. Only the curimba and piracanjuba males had sperm showing mean sperm motility above 90% and over 23 minutes duration, with percentage of abnormal sperm lower than 9%. Females of pacu, piracanjuba and curimba spawned on 7.7, 5.2 and 7.8 hours respectively after the last hormone dosage, although only the curimba females have shown fertilization rates above 35%. Nevertheless, further research should be conducted to enhance the strengths, salts and ranges of application, and provide repeatability and optimize results.