LOTS of Q's about Chorionic Gonadotrophin

[ReefTECK]

Throughout the years, and through reading in articles in Aquaculture Magazine, and also mentioned in a new book I have, authors have suggested the use of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG).

Is it ethical? What are the drawbacks of the use of injected hormones to induce spawning? Infections, diseases, problems.

Where and how do you administer an injection?

Finally, how the heck do you get HCG? It is listed as prescription only. Would it be legal for my mom to write me a prescription for these purposes? (Shes a doctor, maybe a better question for her).

Thanks for all the input in advance, good or bad, I want to hear all sides.

 

[billsreef]

It's generally only used in species for which reliable spawning can not be induced by heavy feeding, temperature, and photo period manipulation. Typically it's administered via injection just below the dorsal fin. It's also kind of expensive IIRC, not to mention difficult to obtain legally.

 

[FMarini]

I'll second what Bill says here, its usually used in stubborn or difficult to breed fish (primarily food fishes) to induce spawning (actually eggs production).
While the human versions are expensive (since its isolated from urine of pregnant females) there are recombinant form and ones isolated from horses(mare) urine. Since the beta-subunit peptide is so short it seems to have no issue crossing species, and as mentioned they are administered as a IM (intramuscular injection).
What book goes into detail about the use of hCG in fish?

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12383949#post12383949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FMarini
What book goes into detail about the use of hCG in fish?

You'd need to get some of those $400 plus professional aquaculture books, or dig through back issues of the various aquaculture journals and magazines for specific articles.

 

[ReefTECK]

Yeah, I've been reading "Aquaculture Genome Technologies" as well as "Ecology and Management of Coastal Waters"

I also have a 3 year collection of Aquaculture Magazine. Then...it came up in a new Microcosom book that I just bought, "The Illustrated Breeders Guide To Marine Aquarium Fishes."

I have been chatting in reef discussion forums about designing a Pro-larvae rearing tank.

East African Fireball Angels (Centropyge acanthops), 3 of them, not spawning yet, but showing promising group behavior. Plus they're already decent size, and may not be long from sexual maturation.

I picked them up from work, they all came in together, somebody had put them all in one tank (stupid) but then I realized, they're not killing each other! and it had been like 4 days since I had been to work! Hmmmm...So I snagged them, put em in a spare 50gal.

The one that appears to be the male, is already engaging in a behavior known as "soaring" according to Scott W. Micheal. The females, or subordinates, I assume neither of them are terminal males, otherwise they would be killing each other. Anyways, the females don't seem to be interested in joining. I know I am going to mess them up when I move them into the spawning tank.

I also want to control the water height too, to use as a parameter that may, or may not, trigger spawning. I will at that point cycle them down a few degrees over 2 weeks, decrease lighting systematically, and then do the opposite to simulate seasonal changes.

This is my model, but I'm still making modifications to this design before I actually get to it.

I have a clear panel in the front of the drum I am using installed already, I'll be doing the plumbing hopefully sometime this weekend.

Thanks for the input guys. I was thinking if the females do not respond to my seasonal simulation sooner or later, and some live food, I may have to resort to HCG, or some type, thanks for the info about mare CG, I'll keep you guys posted. I'm freaking hyped!

This will be my first time rearing pelagic larvae! I don't have everything I need together yet, but I'll keep you posted!

Thanks again,
Andy

 

[billsreef]

Here's a source of hormones for fish farming.

http://www.argent-labs.com/argentwebsite/hormones.htm

 

[ReefTECK]

Yeah that's a little spendy, but if it comes down to it I may just go for it. Things are not nearly that dire yet. But the potential earnings from a successful spawn would make that back easy!

Thanks Bill!

Argent huh? don't they make cyclopeeze?

later,
andy

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12386877#post12386877 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefTECK
Argent huh? don't they make cyclopeeze?

Among other things