Seed production and grow-out of climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) in Vietnam.
Abstract Broodfish conditioning of climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) is conducted in earthen ponds with a density of 2-4 kg m-2, at a 1:1 male to female ratio. Homemade or commercial feeds containing 22-25% crude protein are given as feed for the broodfish. To induce spawning, HCG and LH-RHa are used. Nursing from fry to fingerlings is done in earthen ponds with densities of 500-600 fry m-2. After nursing for 50-60 days, when the fish reach 4-5 cm length, they are harvested and stocked in grow-out systems. Fingerlings are stocked in grow-out ponds at a density of 20 fish m-2. Homemade and commercial feeds containing 22-25% crude protein are used to feed fish. After 6 months, the fish can reach the marketable size of 60-100 g per fish. The stocking density of fish in rice fields is lower, at 3 m-2. They feed on natural food found in the rice field. Homemade feeds are also added as supplementary feed. Rice-fish culture covers two continuous paddy rice cropping periods, or one paddy rice crop and one flooded crop.