Ovaplant-L® is the brand name for a new "liquid implant" that can be substituted in place of larger cellulose-based implants to induce spawning in fish. Ovaplant-L® contains a synthetic peptide analogue of salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone (sGnRHa) in a novel, sustained-release excipient available from Syndel USA. Many fish species that have great economic significance in aquaculture do not reproduce spontaneously in captivity, or naturally reproduce under conditions that are not easily recreated in a hatchery setting. The use of hormones to induce spawning in fish is critical to the successful culture of many captive fish species that require hormone administration to complete final gamete maturation.
In this presentation, we will discuss some of the disadvantages of using traditional cellulose based implants compared to a liquid implant. As with any new product, safety to the culture animal must be evaluated prior to use. We will present the results of a study that evaluated the safety and gross pathology of the novel, sucrose-based excipient in Ovaplant-L® intended to deliver time-released spawning peptides in warmwater marine fish, using the commonly cultured red drum as a model species.
Finally, the results of studies using Ovaplant-L® to induce and synchronize ovulation in captive female cobia and improve spawning rate and fecundity in captive Atlantic croaker will be presented.