Semi‐Artificial Breeding Report of Endangered Chitala lopis Using Hormonal Induction Treatments

Reproductive maturity of Chitala lopis is critical for preventing species loss, as the species was previously listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hormonal induction in promoting gonadal maturation and ovulation, assess reproductive physiology and spawning performances, characterize embryonic development, and document the successful semi‐artificial breeding of C. lopis . Three hormonal induction treatments were administered monthly for four months: GnRH at 0.25 mL/kg (T1), GnRH at 0.5 mL/kg (T2) and OODEV at 0.5 mL/kg (T3). Treatment T2 significantly increased estradiol and vitellogenin concentrations ( p < 0.05), which reached 5.65 ± 0.004 pg/mL and 18.71 ± 3.32 µg/L, respectively. This treatment also resulted in the production of 1,010 eggs and a larval survival rate of 41.03%. These findings indicate that GnRH administered at 0.5 mL/kg can promote gonadal maturation, ovulation, and egg production in C. lopis , providing a preliminary protocol for the semi‐artificial breeding of this species.