2018 Volume 84 Issue 3 Pages 384-392
This study examined the relationship between post-ovulation time and fertilization rate of artificially inseminated eggs of sevenband grouper Epinephelus septemfasciatus. Ovulation was induced by cholesterol pellet implantation of LHRHa (50 μg/kg) and occurred between 36 and 54 hours. The fertilization rates of the eggs collected from eleven fish decreased with time after ovulation from 88.2% (0 h) to 28.9% (12 h). The hatching rates of the eggs collected from the eleven fish also decreased, and they were 68.2% (peak), 33.3% and finally 0.9% at 0, 6 and 12 hours after ovulation, respectively. These results suggest that artificial fertilization of sevenband grouper must be carried out immediately after ovulation in order to obtain eggs of good quality.