Study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of
Garcinia kola
(Bitter kola) powder on egg quality in African catfish,
Clarias gariepinus
broodstocks. Catfish broodstocks (mean weight, 911.25 ± 1.77 g) were randomly distributed into concrete tanks (2 x 2 x 1.2 m) at ten fish/tank in triplicates. Five diets with 40 % crude protein containing 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g kg
-1 G. kola seed powder in the feed were formulated and added to the tanks to give 3 % of body weight per day. Fecundity, Percentage fertilization, percentage hatchability and egg size (diameter) of
C. gariepinus were investigated. The results of the study show that
G. kola seed powder affects the fecundity, percentage hatchability and percentage survival of
C. gariepinus larval. The fish fed 200 g kg
-1 G. kola seed powder had higher oocyte diameter but not significantly different (p<0.05) from those of the fish fed the other diets. However, the egg diameter was largest in the group of fish fed diet 200 g kg
-1 G. kola seed powder and this had negative effect on the fertilization of the eggs. Significantly higher (p<0.05) percentage fertilization and percentage hatchability were recorded for the fish fed diet of 150 g kg
-1 G. kola seed powder than for the fish fed the alternative diets. The results showed that as the inclusion level of
G. kola seed powder increased, the percentage egg fertilization increased, except when the fish were fed diet of 200 g kg
-1 G. kola seed powder where a sharp decrease was recorded. Survival of larval ranged from 88 % to 100 % and was not related to the
G. kola seed powder inclusion in the diet. In this study, the larval of the fish fed on diets 150 and 200 g kg
-1 G. kola seed powder survived better than the fish fed other supplemented diets. The results suggest that dietary supplementation with
G. kola seed powder improved fecundity, hatchability and survival of
C. gariepinus larval and has a potential pro-fertility property which can be exploited in fish seed production.
