Comparison of McDonald jars and plastic strainers for the artificial incubation of red tilapia eggs

21 p.Tush, J. 2008. Comparison of McDonald jars and plastic strainers in the artificial incubation of red tilapia eggs. Graduation Project (Thesis) of the B. S. Program in Agricultural Science and Production, Pan-American School of Agriculture, Zamorano, Honduras. Often the development and expansion of fish farming is limited by the lack of good quality seed. An alternative to enhance fry production is to implement artificial incubation systems for fertile tilapia eggs removed from the buccal cavity of the adult females. The objective of this study was to compare McDonald jars and plastic strainers in the artificial incubation of red tilapia eggs in Zamorano, Honduras. Eggs were collected weekly from adult female red tilapia managed in concrete tanks as part of the fish reproduction program at the Aquaculture Station. Eggs were held in four McDonald jars placed within a water recirculation system, or in four plastic strainers in all-glass aquaria with static water, during seven-day long incubation periods repeated four times during a five-week period. The experimental design consisted of two treatments (McDonald jars and plastic strainers) and four replicates of each. Tilapia eggs from multiple clutches were distributed randomly in all containers. The number of eggs surviving in each incubation system was compared by an ANOVA (P