Photo credit: Ariel Montiel Benitez (Paraguay) Review: Ariel Montiel Benitez and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) is an important fish species with high commercial value in Paraguay. The availability of its fingerlings in a sufficient number would be essential towards the expansion of pacu aquaculture in Paraguay.
The inserted picture was taken at the Laboratory of Pacu in the National Center of Production of Alevines of Paraguay. The center is located in the city of Eusebio Ayala.
The picture shows a part of pacu reproduction as fertilized eggs are placed in netting incubators hanged in a rectangular tank. Tanks receive appropriate water flow sufficient to take waste metabolites out. Incubators are aerated in order to secure sufficient oxygen as required for developing embryos.
Under optimum water temperature of about 25C, hatching occurs after about 23 days whereas newly hatched larvae are nursed towards the production of fingerlings.
