Testicular characteristics of goldfish Carassius auratus, in nature and under diet limitations

Goldfish testes were nutritionally regressed in about 115 days regardless of season and without controlled light or temperature. A gonosomatic index (testes weight ″ 100/body weight) of the regressed fish was about one tenth that of spawning fish. The regressed testes were primarily composed of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and connective tissue. Fish testes were maintained in a regressed state for over 200 days with no change in gonosomatic index. Fish with regressed testes appeared to be in a state of “pseudohypophysectomy” with respect to gonadotropin. Pituitary replacement and a diet of 5% of the body weight per day initiated spermatogenesis and brought the regressed testes to functional maturity in one month. The results suggest that spermatogonial proliferation and the maturation of sperm have different regulatory requirements.