Efeito da restrição alimentar sobre o desempenho reprodutivo das fêmeas de yamu <em>Brycon siebenthalae</em> (Osteichthyes, Characidae)

Abstract

Under natural conditions, many fish species, such as freshwater tropical reofilics, voluntarily restrict their food supply during the period before reproduction. Mature females fed with commercial food were divided in two groups four months before their reproduction period. One group was fed with 3% biomass/day of food, while for the other group food was restricted 50% of that amount. During two consecutive reproductive cycles females from both groups were induced to spawn, and the reproductive performance and visceral fat index were compared as well. Females from restricted treatment showed better results after hormonal injection and produced larger eggs after spawning, although the visceral fat index was significantly smaller (P<0.05). The spawn weight, fertility and embryonic survivals were not different among groups during the two years.