A study on the growth performance of 3 hybrid catfish biotypes for commercial aquaculture and community enterprise, comprising of Pangosius larnaudii, BukSiam hybrid catfish (male Pangasianodon gigas x female P. hypophthalmus) and Pangasius sanitwongsei. Mating as follows: (1)female P. larnaudii ? male P. larnaudii, (2)female BukSiam hybrids catfish ?male BukSiam hybrids catfish, (3)female BukSiam hybrids catfish ? male P. larnaudii, (4)female P. larnaudii ? male BukSiam hybrid catfish and (5)female BukSiam hybrids catfish ?male P. sanitwongsei. It was found that, at 11 months old, the final body weight and total length of different biotypes were highly significant differences (p<0.01). Body weight and total length of hybrid (female P. larnaudii ? male BukSiam hybrid catfish) were highest: 47.17?14.36 g. and 18.46?1.83 cm.; body weight and total length of hybrid (female BukSiam hybrids catfish ? male BukSiam hybrid catfish) were 36.24?24.32 g. and 16.70?3.04 cm.; body weight and total length of hybrid (female BukSiam hybrids catfish ? Male P. larnaudii) were 33.07?23.27 g. and 15.49?3.21 cm.; body weight and total length of hybrid (female BukSiam hybrids catfish ? male P. sanitwongsei) were 27.83?8.51 g. and 15.13?1.46 cm.; body weight and total length of female P. sanitwongsei ? male P. sanitwongsei were lowest: 21.31?5.82 g. and 13.51?1.36 cm. respectively.
The heterosis of hybrid (female P. larnaudii ? male BukSiam hybrid catfish) at 11 months of age was highest at 63.71%; next is hybrid (female BukSiam hybrid catfish ? Male P. larnaudii) was 14.95 % respectively. Estimation of heritability in catfish and hybrid catfish at 8 months old were high for body weight and total length (h2BW: 0.08?0.11 and h2TL: 0.08?0.11). The heritabilities and correlations showed desirable prospective for selective breeding of body weight and total length.
The results show the potential for crossbreeding, combining the advantages of each of the three strains between BukSiam hybrid catfish (male Pangasianodon gigas x female P. hypophthalmus) and P. larnaudii in term of growth and quality of fillets. These results imply that the potential of the production of 3 hybrid fish species produced from female P. larnaudii ? male BukSiam hybrid catfish for increasing of hybrid catfish production in the aquaculture system in order to value added and healthy food to community enterprises.