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Abstract

Hybridization was conducted to compare performance of hybrids to their parental line of the pure Clarias gariepinus and Clarias batrachus crosses as a control in triplicates for a period of 60 days, with fortnightly sampling. The hybrid crosses showed intermediate characters between the control crosses in mean weight gain (MWG), specific growth rate (SGR) mean final length (MFL) and survival of fingerlings (SF). However, the hybrids revealed lower characters compared to the progeny of control groups in fertilization rate, hatching and survival of larvae. On the other hand, fertilization and hatching rate among the hybrids and the control batrachus species were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Similarly, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed between the two inter-specific hybrids. Though the crosses of C. gariepinus displayed significantly higher value in MWG, SGR, SL and FML than other groups, fingerling survival was found to be lowest. The growth parameters like MWG, SGR and FML of the hybrids were found to be higher than C. batrachus crosses, while survival of hybrid fingerlings were higher than C. gariepinus. Therefore, this is considered as heterosis vigor for the hybrids for that they have achieved better traits either one of the control groups.