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Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science

Year: 2012 | Volume: 7 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 447-453
DOI: 10.3923/jfas.2012.447.453
Dietary Administration of Dehydroepiandrosterone Hormone Influences Sex Differentiation of Hybrid Red Tilapia (O. niloticusx O. mossambicus) Larvae
Asaad H. Mohamed, Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar, Augusto E. Serrano, Jose P. Peralta and Fiona L. Pedroso

Abstract: Effects of a steroid hormone Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on sex differentiation of hybrid red Tilapia Oreochromis niloticusxO. mossambicus larvae were investigated. Three day-old tilapia larvae were fed diets supplemented with varying concentrations of DHEA (0, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg kg-1 feed) for 24 days. A positive control group fed with diet containing 60 mg kg-1 of 17α-methyl testosterone was also included in the experimental run. Results indicate that among the DHEA treatment groups, larvae fed with 160 mg kg-1 DHEA showed the highest percentage of males that is comparable to the number of differentiated male fish observed in treatment group receiving the 17α-methyl testosterone as the positive control group. DHEA supplementation also improves weight gain and enhances feed conversion ratio. These findings suggest that DHEA can be used as a dietary supplement to induce masculinization and can improve the growth performance of tilapia larvae.

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How to cite this article
Asaad H. Mohamed, Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar, Augusto E. Serrano, Jose P. Peralta and Fiona L. Pedroso, 2012. Dietary Administration of Dehydroepiandrosterone Hormone Influences Sex Differentiation of Hybrid Red Tilapia (O. niloticusx O. mossambicus) Larvae. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 7: 447-453.

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