The Effect of Different Salinity Concentrations on the Embryogenesis Development of the Freshwater African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822

The African catfish Clarias gariepinus(Burchell, 1822) is a freshwater fish, massively cultivated, and highly demanded in Southeast Asia countries, particularly Indonesia. The market demand for the commodity is annually increasing, hence, it can provide better profits in the future. To anticipate a decrease in seed production, it is necessary to carry out a seed procurement process to ensure that production levels continue to increase in terms of quantity and quality. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of different salinities on the embryogenesis phases of catfish C. gariepinus and the quality of the larvae produced. The experimental method used was a completely randomized design with five treatment groups and four replications. The salinity levels used included D0- D4, with concentrations of 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, and 8ppt, respectively. The results showed that the different treatments had significant effects on the speed of embryonic development and the quality of the larvae produced. The highest average percentage of abnormality was found in D4 (2.0%), followed by D3 and D2 with values of 1.25% and 0.5%, respectively. Meanwhile, no abnormal larvae were detected in D0 and D1. It was concluded that the increase in salinity is inversely proportional to the period of embryogenesis. Meanwhile, an increase in salinity is directly proportional to larval abnormalities. Further study on the effect of different salinity on larval physiological adaptability is recommended.