Captive Breeding and Early Developmental Dynamics of Cirrhinus mrigala: Implications for Sustainable Seed Production

<i>Cirrhinus mrigala</i> is an important edible fish with a significant aquaculture contribution in Southeast Asian countries. The current study aims to enhance our understanding of the developmental biology of <i>Cirrhinus mrigala</i>, which is crucial for implementing sustainable fish farming practices. To induce spermiation and ovulation in <i>Cirrhinus mrigala</i> brooders, the synthetic hormone Ovaprim^® (GnRH + dopamine inhibitor) was administrated as a single injection dose of 0.2 mL/kg to males and 0.4 mL/kg to females. After induction, the fish spawned, and the eggs produced were fertilized artificially and cell division commenced successfully. The characteristics of each larval developmental stage were closely observed and recorded using a time-lapse imaging technique. The fertilized eggs were spherical, demersal, and non-adhesive throughout their incubation period. The spawned eggs ranged in diameter from 2.1 mm to 2.13 mm and possessed circular yolk sacs. The gastrula stage initiated approximately 4 h after fertilization, with 25% of the yolk sphere covered by blastoderm, reaching 75% coverage at the end of the gastrula stage, approximately 6 h post fertilization. Organogenesis was marked by the formation of notochord and the visibility of rudimentary organs such as the heart, eyes, and gills, followed by tail movement, which was observed at the time of hatching. Compared to other cyprinid fishes, <i>C. mrigala</i> exhibited distinct features at certain stages of embryonic development. Blood circulation was observed to start at the onset of hatching. The lengths of the newly hatched larvae ranged from 2.9 to 3.2 mm, smaller than other reports on induced breeding in carps. The findings of the present study provide a detailed reference for the embryonic development of <i>C. mrigala</i>, which will assist its future research endeavors and large-scale seed production for sustainable aquaculture.