Locating and extracting the pituitary gland of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Video)

The pituitary gland extract is used in inducing the reproduction of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). In order for the pituitary extract to be effective, donor fish should be sexually mature whether male or female. Also, the extraction of pituitary gland is preferred to be close to or within the spawning season. From practical views, extracting the pituitary gland from male fish makes more sense because male is sacrificed to obtain the testes required for egg fertilization. This represents a multi-benefit approach when sacrificing a single specimen.  The video shows the tools used in the careful breaking the bones and locating the pituitary in its cavity. Extraction of pituitary requires enough practice to avoid smashing the pituitary or difficulty in identifying it from other tissues.

 

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