Iraqi Journal of Aquaculture

The life cycle of Ischnura evansi (Morton) from Basrah
region has been studied under laboratory conditions . Females
layed their eggs on the stems of the submerged portions of Bacopa
monniera . Hatching occurred at a temperature limits between 12
and 40 °C. The embryonic development was compeleted within
31 days at 12 °C and 7 days at 40 °C water temperature . Larval
development was rapid and signficantly corelated with high
temperature . Instar duration were increased with the progress of
age while discreasing with the rising of temperature. After hatching
the insect showed 13 instar before the attaining of the adult stage.
The total period from egg to adult were between 197 and 278
days at a 40 °C and 25 °C respectively .

Some biological aspects of lizardfish Saurida
undosquamis in Khor AL-Amya, NW Arabian Gulf were
studied through August 1999 to July 2000. The annual catch
rate was 0.33 Kg/h with a maximum of o.5 Kg/h in March
and the minimum o.2 Kg/h in July and August. Lizardfish
was non resreseuted though out the period from December to
February. The growth (L½, K, to) obtained forming Von
Bertlanffy equation were as follow: Lt= 282 [1-e –0.53 (t+0.26) ].
The mortality coefficient of total Z, natural M and fishing F
were estimated to be 1.218, 0.576, and 0.642. Hence the
exploitation rate E was 0.52.
The food components of 214 stomachs were
examined. The empty stomachs constituted 19.16%. Fish
subsist at part of preys forming 80.1% by number and 83.2%
by occurrence. Small fishes of Upeneus sulphureus and
Leiognathus bindus were the most species preged by S.
undosquamis. Crustacea was of secondary importance
(18.3% number and 24.1% occurrence) as fish food
represenred mainly by shrimps and less of lobster and crabs.
The third group of food components was mollusca
cephalopod, which coustitionl 1.6% by number and 2.8% by
occurrence.

The synthetic hormonal product Ovaprime was used
for the induced spawning of Cyprinus carpio , in comparson
with the Pituitary gland extract. The study was done in
Basrah univ. Marine Sience Center freshwater fish hatchery.
The Ovaprime is an Analog of Gonadotropine releasing
hormone of salmon (sGnRHa) as well as Domperidone as
Dopamine Antagonist. The first fish group of C.carpio was
injected with 0.5 ml of Ovaprime in one dose , while the
second ( control) group was injected with PG extract in two
dose ( 0.3mg/kg as a first & 3.0 mg/Kg as a second dose).
The results showed that the usage of Ovaprime gives better
results than PG extract in the performing parameters of
induced spawning. Average Ova weight provided by hand
stripping was higher in Ovaprime treatment. The average
ova weight per body weight was also higher in Ovaprime
(11.97%) compaired with 7.245% for PG, but these results
were not statisticaly significant . With Ovaprime all the
fishes had free flowing Ova while half of the fishes had free
flowing ova in PG injected fishes. Fertilization rate was
higher (95%) with Ovaprime, and this was highly significant
differences from PG. Hatching rate was increased by
Ovaprime to reach 93.75% while it was 83.75% for PG,it
was also significant differences. In addition to that it was
seen that the usage of Ovaprime is more practical in the
hatchery management work..also It was found that Ovaprime
is cheapest than the usage of PG extraction during the study
period.

Between January and August 2002, a total of 74
fishes belonging to nine species (Alburnus caeruleus,
Barbus luteus, B. sharpeyi, Carassius auratus,
C. carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cyprinus carpio,
Hypophathalmichthys molitrix and Liza abu) were collected
from three fish farms south of Baghdad. Twenty-six
species of parasites were observed.They were following :
Three species of protozoa ( Ichthyophthirius multifiliis ,
Trichotina domerguei, Muxobolus nemchili), fifteen
species belonged
to
baueri,
monogenetic
trematodes
(Dactylogyrus achmerowi, D. anchoratus, D. arcuatus,
D.
D.
dulkeiti,
D.
formosus,
D. hypophathalmichthys, D. intermedius, D. lamellatus,
D. minutus, D. solidus, D. varcohini, D. dvastator,
Gyrodactylus baicalensis, G. elegans), three species
belonged to digenetic trematodes (Diplostomum
commutatum, D. phoxini, D. spathacum), one species of
acanthocephala ( Neoechinorhynchus iraqensis ) and four
crustacea (Ergasilus mosulenis, E. sieboldi, Ergasilus
sp., Lernaea cyprinacea ). Moreover, two fungal species
(Ichthyophonus hoferi ,Saprolegnia sp.). The observation
of Dactylogyrus formosus and D. intermedius were
regarded as the first record in Iraq. Meanwhile five new
hosts for 18 species of parasites were described in the
present study. However, most species of parasites were
isolated from Cyprinus carpio (14 species).

This investigation is aimed at processing fish
protein concentrate from dried fish that subjected to
digestion with acetic acid at pH 4. The dried fish
contained 46.26% protein, 19.65% fat and 23.89% ash.
The processed protein product comprised of
69.84% protein, 8.43% fat and 15.58% ash. The yield
was 70.15% of raw materials.
The processed product characterized with dark
brown colour, acceptable fishy smell and revealed high
storage stability when stored at room temperature
(28°C) for 60 days without noticeable changes. The
stored product had low bacterial count that valued 1200
CFU/gm. Coliform bacteria were not existed. Total
volatile Nitrogen Bases (TNVB) was low and valued
9.8 mgN/100 gm. Rancidity hadn’t developed as TBA
rated 0.24 mg malonaldehyde/kg.
The processed product and a commercial protein
concentrate were employed separately in formulating
experimental diets R1 and R2 respectively. Each ration
was used in feeding trials on carp fingerlings for 60
days. The results for R1 and R2 were respectively as
follows: 0.77 and 0.51 for specific growth rate (SGR);
4.04 and 5.79 for food conversion ration (FCR);
24.71% and 17.26% for Food conversion efficiency
(FCE); 16.56 and 12.23% protein deposit (PD).
It can be concluded that the proposed method
employed in this project was successful in processing
fish protein concentrate with good storage stability and
acceptable sensory properties.