Early-growth comparison of diploid and triploid rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in South Korea

Fast somatic growth is important considerations for successful and competitive aquaculture industry. In rainbow trout reared in South Korea, triploid induction was used to suppress negative influence of reproductive maturation to body growth. However, the effects of triploidy are visible in both mature fish and developing juvenile fish. Thus, it is also important to explicate the effect of triploid induction on growth during the early-life stages of rainbow trout-alevins and fry. Rainbow trout fertilized eggs were subjected to triploid induction and polyploidy was checked by flow cytometry. Diploid and triploid alevins and fry were reared separately in tanks with constant flow of freshwater through flow-through water system and growth measurements were done from zero days after hatching (DAH 0) until DAH 134. The egg-yolk morphometrics of alevins-yolk length, yolk height, yolk volume and yolk weight-were statistically similar ( p > 0.05) in both genotypes from DAH 0 to DAH 22. The total length, body height, and body weight of alevins and fry were statistically better ( p > 0.05) in both genotypes until DAH 92 but thereafter, triploid had a significantly better growth performance ( p < 0.05) over diploid fish until the completion of study at DAH 134. With that, triploid induction did not influence alevin yolk regions and body growth and fry somatic growth until around 3 months after hatching, but considerable growth enhancement was subsequently apparent.