REPRODUCTIVE-BIOLOGY AND BREEDING OF CUMING BARB (PUNTIUS-CUMINGII GUNTHER)

Cuming's barb (Puntius cumingii Gunther) is an endangered endemic spec ies of fish in Sri Lanka. A study was carried out on the reproductive biology and breeding of this species in captivity. At maturity, males and females measured 32.6 and 33.1 mm, respectively. In the ovaries, t he egg-diameter distribution pattern indicated the presence of large a nd small yolked eggs in two groups. Large mature eggs ranging from 0.4 5 to 0.80 mm in diameter were shed during spawning. Small eggs measuri ng 0.20-0.45 mm took 7-10 weeks to reach mature size, then were shed a t the next spawning. The number of eggs shed per spawning cycle and to tal fecundity ranged from 256 to 976 and from 383 to 1829, respectivel y. Hatching rate varied from 5.3 to 97.1 %, with a mean value of 68.3 %. A majority (55 %) of the females completed spawning within 1 day. T his investigation indicated that P. cumingii could be successfully rea red and bred in captivity; the results would be useful in the developm ent of breeding programmes for this species.