Biology of Koi (Anabas testudineus)

Intoduction:

A. testudineus, locally called koi, is an economically important fish species in Bangladesh. It

inhabits fresh and brackish waters of the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. The natural food
spectrum of A. testudineus juveniles is very wide; larvae and young fry feed on phytoplankton and
zooplankton while large fry (and adults) feed on crustaceans, worms, mollusks, algae, soft higher
plants, and organic debris. Adults feed mainly on insects. Reproduction occurs in low lying
swamps, paddies, lakes, pools, small pits, ditches, streams, rivers, and irrigation canals. A.
testudineus attains sexual maturity in the first year. It is categorized by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (ICUN) as a vulnerable species.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Anabantidae
Genus: Anabas
Species: A. testudineus

Scientific name: A. testudineus

Common English name: Climbing perch Fig. 1. External feature of A. testudineus
Local name: Koi

Life history:

Adults mating

Released eggs
Hatched Larva

Before Hatching

Fig. 2. Life cycle of A. testudineus

Morphology:
Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 10; Anal spines: 9 - 11; Analsoft rays: 8 -
11 Color in life dark to pale greenish, very pale below, back dusky to olive; head with longitudinal
stripes ventrally; posterior margin of opercle with a dark spot; iris golden reddish. Body form
variable, affected by age and amount of food consumed. Scaled head with 4-5 rows between eye
and rear margin of preoperculum. Scales large and regularly arranged, ciliate.

Distribution:
The species complex is widely distributed in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan (most
likely), Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, southern China, Malaysia,
Indonesia,Brunei,Singapore and introduced to the Philippines. Found mostly in canals, lakes, ponds,
swamps and estuaries. Adults occur in medium to large rivers, brooks, flooded fields and stagnant
water bodies including sluggish flowing canals. Often found in areas with dense vegetation. Can
tolerate extremely unfavorable water conditions and is associated mainly with turbid, stagnant
waters. They remain buried under the mud during dry season.

Food & Feeding habit:

Feed on macrophytic vegetation, shrimps and fish fry. Chiefly predatory though wild fish
apparently feed on some vegetative matter including algae and rice grains as well as smaller fishes,
invertebrates and molluscs.

Growth:
Better growth performance in Koi, A. testudineus (Bloch) was observed through utilization of
poultry viscera in the formulated fish feed, compared to fishmeal. This species grows to 25 cm (9.8
in) in total length.

Maturity:
First sexual maturity of male and female at 8.0 cm/I 1.3 g and 8.2 cm/12.2 g respectively.

Sexual dimorphism:
Male and female fishes are identified only during the breeding season, by the difference in their
color. During the breeding season, the females show a brilliant orange color with shades of yellow
on the ventral side of the abdomen and also on the pelvic fin. During spawning season the abdomen
of the female is slightly bulged out. Sexually active females are slightly larger and noticeably
thicker-bodied than males, while males are darker in coloration and apparently develop tubercles on
the pectoral fins when breeding.

Breeding behavior:
A. testudineus is bisexual. Sexual dimorphism is generally observed with the approach of the
breeding season. Sexual differences of A. testudineus is on the basis of the body and fin colorations.
Female 'Koi' shows brown color on the body and fins, particularly the pelvics which turn deep
brown during breeding season. This coloration, which indicates the ripening oft he ova, appears
during pre-spawning season and gradually disappears after spawning. Mature males acquire glazy
black color during breeding season. Color of the mature males as reddish hue on the body,
particularly on the pectoral and ventral fins, while females do not show reddish hue. However,
color pattern differs considerably in different localities.

Fecundity:
fecundity is the actual reproductive rate of an organism or population, measured by the number of
gametes (eggs). Fecundity is similar to fertility, the natural capability to produce offspring.The
fecundity of laboratory reared 'Koi' is reported to be as low as 4,200 to 5,000, with an average of
4,591 and that of pond reared specimens varying between 8,500 and 10,804 with an average
of9,935.

Embryonic Development:
The formation of heart start at 17:00 h ( Fig. a24) followed by beating at 1 h (Fig. a25) later with slow
pulsation (33-50 min-1). Blood start to circulate at 19:00 h after fertilization where bloods were
pumped every 60-70 heart beats/min) (Fig. a26).

Fig.3. Embryonic development in Anabas testudineus, (1) Fertilised eggs, (2) Blastodisc
formation, (3) 2 cell, (4) 4 cell, (5) 8 cell, (6) 16 cell, (7) 32 cell, (8) 64 cell, (9) 128 cell, (10)
Morula, (11) Early blastula, (12) Middle blastula, (13) Late blastula, (14) Pre-early gastrula,
(15) Early gastrula, (16) Pre-mid gastrula, (17) Mid gastrula, (18) Late gastrula, (19) Early
neurula (Head formation), (20) Late neurula (optic bud formation), (21) 4 somite, (22) 6
somite (Brain and otic vesicle formation), (23) 9 somite (Appearance of heart anlage), (24) 12
somite (Heart formation), (25) 16 somite (atart of heart beaf), (26) 18-19 somite (onset of
blood circulation), (27) Newly hatched larvae, (28) 1st day larvae; 1.8 mm, (29) 2 day old
larvae; 2.8 mm, (30) 3 day old larvae; 3.8 mm, (31) 4 day old larvae; 4.3 mm, (32) 5 day old
larvae; 4.8 mm and (33) 6 day old larvae; 5 mm

Hatching (Newly hatch larvae):Twenty hour after fertilization (Fig. a27), the eggs started to hatch at
water temperature of 26-27°C. The newly hatched larva has unpigmented eyes, the mouth not
formed but anus situated posterior to the yolk mass. Total length of newly hatched larvae was 0.6 -1
mm. There were 22 pairs of somites. The fish was transparent microscopically with some star or
branch-shaped melanophores distributed on both side of the body and the back of the head and
somites. Star shaped, dark black-brown melanophores were present on both sides of the yolk sac.
The digestive duct were thin and undistinguished, as it was attached tightly to the yolk sac. The
mouth and anus was not open and the branchial skeleton still undeveloped. The optic vesicles are
not unpigmented. The pigmentation extended uniformly from the head along the trunk, except for
the final section of the tail. The larvae body was straight, floating on the water surface.
First day old larvae: Total length of first day old larvae (Fig. a28) ranged from 1-1.8 mm. Mouth and
anus started to open. Lateral line was visible. Swim bladder and nostril also formed. Majority of
larvae still remained motionless in the surface layer of water. The pigmentation extended to the yolk
sac both dorsally and ventrally. Typical star-shaped melanophores clusters appear around the final
tract of the intestine.
Two day old larvae: Total length of two day old larvae ( Fig. a29) ranged from 2.8 mm. Upper and
lower jaws were formed. Mouth and anus opened and nostril were also formed. At this point, larvae
started to eat rotifer and they were passively carried by water current in the aquarium.
Three day old larvae: Total length of three day old larvae (Fig. a30) ranged from 3.8 mm. Eyes
became pigmented. Larvae began settling to bottom of the aquarium. They were still carried by
water current. Myomeres were observable.
Four day old larvae: Total length of four-day-old larvae (Fig. a31) ranged from 4.3 mm. Caudal fin
ray started to appeared. Several stellate or punctate melanophores were appeared on upper jaws.
Larvae had a transparent pectoral fin fold.
Fifth day old larvae: Total length of fifth-day-old larvae (Fig. a32) ranged from 4.8 mm Myomeres
began to develop. Caudal fin development proceeded. Dorsal, anal and pectoral fin rays appeared.
The mouth was opened and good development of upper jaws and lower jaws, able to take food.
Six day old larvae: Total length of six-day-old larvae ( Fig. a33) ranged from 5.0 mm. Dorsal and
anal fin ray anlagen appearing. Soft ray caudal also developed. Melanophores appearing in lower
jaw and caudal fin. At this point, more larvae were settling to bottom of the aquarium.
Larval developmental stages in table:
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. The
larvae looked transparent (blood circulation and bonny structure were easily visible) with a straight
body. The larval development stages of A. testudineus are given as follows:

Time after hatching Length of larvae (mm) Developmental features

Oh 2.1 Large oval yolk sac; 21
myotomes; larva darts if
disturbed

6h 2.3 Body well pigmented; lens

placode appears on
unpigmented eye; pectoral fin
bud visible
12 h 2.7 Blood still colorless; eye gets
pigmented; gill rudiment
appears
24h 3.2 Operculum, scale marks and
caudal fin rays appear; mouth
not yet open
2nd 3.4 Operculum distinct; gill arches
and gill filaments appear; well
developed open mouth; larva
starts feeding; yolk depletion
evident; reddish tinge to blood
(Hemoglobin synthesis begins)
3rd 3.5 Movable eyes with lens; active
feeding and swimming; gut
opens out by a striopore; yolk
absorbed to a great extent,
blood with distinct red color;
gill lamellae appear.

Conclusion:
Thai climbing perch (A. testudineus) is an important fish species in Bangladesh. Due to high growth
rate and better return compared to other species, marginal farmers are very much interested to
culture it. Furthermore, it is also becoming a highly demanded fish day-by-day due to its high
nutritional value, taste, faster growth and having ability to withstand harsh environmental condition.
The species is considered as a valuable food fish species and recommended as diet for the sick and
as it contains high amount of iron, copper and easily digestible poly-unsaturated fats and many
essential amino acids.