Abstract

A conventional hatchery system for Cherax albidus Clark employing individual mating pairs in small tanks yielded poor spawning success with only 40 to 50% of females coming into berry within a given spawning period. A series of "batch" spawning experiments (run at 24°C with a 14 hour photoperiod) involving large numbers of males and females (50 to 155) in large tanks (1100 to 3500 L) were conducted to improve spawning synchrony. An 18 to 20 day conditioning period, during which the gonad development index approximately doubled, was required to induce females to spawn out of season. An antagonistic relationship between moulting and spawning was evident, with females in premoult failing to spawn. The presence of males during conditioning appeared to induce females to remain in intermoult longer. Batch spawning of large numbers of animals combined with conditioning and moult staging (using only females in postmoult or intermoult) improved spawning synchrony with up to 90% of females alive at the end of the conditioning period coming into berry.

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