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Preliminary Report on the Successful Breeding of the Endangered Fish Sinocyclocheilus grahami Endemic to Dianchi Lake

2007; Science Press; Volume: 28; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

2095-8137

Junxing Yang, Xiaofu Pan, Zaiyun Li,

Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

The fish Sinocyclocheilus grahami is one o f the indicative and endemic species in the Dianchi Lake eco-system. As a resu lt of pollution and invasion of exotic fishes, the fish had disappeared from Dia nchi Lake since 1986 and only a few small populations survive in springs and str eams around the lake. Due to the endangered status and special scientific value, S. grahami was listed as the second class protective animal of China in 198 9. The importance of S. grahami and the indigenous biodiversity of Dianchi L ake were recognized by the Global Environment Foundation (GEF) /World Bank and Y unnan Development & Reform Committee. Therefore a special grant was set up to re store and conserve the indigenous biodiversity of Dianchi Lake. The artificial b reeding of S. grahami is a part of the targeted activities. Two successful b reeding experiments were achieved using five females plus six males up to early March 2007. Approximately 1 600 eggs were collected, of which 1 320 eggs fertilize d using the dry-fertilizing method. The mean fertilization rate was 73%. Approx imately 480 fish fry was hatched and the mean hatching rate was 36%. After 10 da ys of cultivation, 95% fingerlings survived and their body lengths were up to 8-1 2 mm. The importance of the artificial breeding succe ss of S. grahami could be summarized as following: effectively protecting th e fish from extinction; releasing the fish fry back to appropriate water body of the lake could help to restore the indigenous biodiversity of Dianchi Lake; fac ilitating the shift of local fish cultivation from the present non-indigenous t o the future indigenous fishery.