1. Yellow Perch Broodstock
Geoff Wallat
Ohio State University
Ohio Center for Aquaculture Development

2. Perch 101 Spawn once a year: Late March in So. Ohio
Eggs produced in ribbon structure –requires unique procedures for incubation and hatching
Fry (juveniles) need small live organisms for first few weeks’ feeding – 6 week culture period in open ponds.
Juveniles trained to accept formulated diets – “Feed training” or “Feed Trained Fingerlings”
Open ponds – 2 seasons (18 months) to food fish market size of > 8” from fry size

3. Broodstock conditioning
Perch broodstock require a cold period of around 140 days, at or below 10 o C
We use 1 m 3 culture cages in open ponds and maintenance feeding with pelleted trout diet
Broodstock conditioning research is an area of research need

4. Broodstock sorting
Spawning temperatures of around 12 C in late March in southern Ohio
Broodstock are sorted in early March

5. Sexual Differentiation
Males are generally smaller than females and slower growing – Sexual dimorphism
In late Winter/Spring, females abdomen swollen; ovopore swollen and extended

6. Sex Determination
Female
Male

7. Ripe Female – Strip spawning

8. Broodstock Nutrition Important component
We typically feed a prepared diet at maintenance rations (1% BW) once or twice a week
Have found some difficulties with egg quality in pellet-raised fish
Supplementing with live feeds may be needed

9. Broodstock Nutrition Study 2004-2005
Our study had diets formulated to vary the amount of total fat
4 treatments
3 prepared diets, held at 36% protein
Low Fat 8%
Medium Fat 12%
High Fat 16%
Control diet was minnows, fed twice a week to satiation

10. Broodstock Nutrition Study 2004-2005
3 replications per treatment
20 females and 50 males, per treatment
Split to 3 tanks in equal proportions
Fed from December 2004 to March 2005

11. Broodstock Nutrition Study Results
Several of the Egg Ribbons did not survive to full term
Low spawning rate ( < 50 % for most treatments)
More work is needed on proper perch broodstock nutrition

12. Selection of Broodstock
Need healthy, good sized broodstock
Minimum 2 years old, 3 is better
Size is about 10 to 14 inches at that age
Geographical strain differences for growth may also be a factor
Our Genetics Improvement program has noticed some initial differences in performance

13. Progress of the Program
Eight strains were obtained from ME, NY, PA, NC, OH, NE, MI, and WI
74 families have been achieved by crossing
Approximately 3-5 families or groups of offspring were obtained from each strain of broodfish (except MI and ME)
F1 broodstock have been selected
Best strains have been identified

14. Strain Evaluation (pure)
Study 1: Growth and GGE of Different Strains at 22 O C –Tank Culture
Study 2: Growth and of different strains at ambient temperature (fry to harvest size)
Study 3: Quantifying genetic variation within and among broodstock groups

15. Growth of Different Strains at 22 oC – Combined 2004 and 2005 data

16. Growth of strains at ambient temperature (Fry to harvest size)
Nursery + Feeding training
Experiment period b c z z y

17. GGE of strains at ambient temperature (Fry to harvest size)

18. Broodstock Summary Use a good, reliable source of broodstock
Conditioning period (cold period)
Nutritional component still needs more work