Abstract
The successful breeding and nursery rearing of
Cirrhinus mrigala
(mrigal carp) are essential for ensuring a sustainable supply of quality fish seed in Nepal. However, high mortality during the hatchling stage remains a major constraint to seed production. This study was conducted at the Fisheries Human Resource Development and Technology Validation Centre, Dhanusha, Nepal, from May to June 2024 to evaluate the breeding performance, growth performance, and survival of
C. mrigala
under induced breeding conditions using WOVA-FH hormone. Twelve female and eighteen male brood fish were used for induced breeding at a female-to-male ratio of 1:1.5. Female and male brood fish were administered WOVA-FH at doses of 0.5 mL kg
-1
and 0.25 mL kg
-1
body weight, respectively. Breeding performance was assessed using fecundity, fertilization rate, and hatching rate, while growth performance, survival, and selected water quality parameters were monitored during a 15-day nursery rearing period. The fecundity of female brood fish ranged from 85,333 to 170,926 eggs. Fertilization and hatching rates ranged from 80.0% to 86.53% and 77.0% to 83.0%, respectively. After 15 days of nursery rearing, hatchlings attained an average final weight of 0.41 g, with an average weight gain of 0.407 g, an average daily weight gain of 0.027 g fish
-1
day
-1
, and a specific growth rate of 40.07% day
-1
. The average fry length was 3.1 cm, while the overall survival rate was 48.47%. Water temperature (29.1–32.2°C), pH (6.9–8.7), and dissolved oxygen (5.8–9.4 mg L
-1
) remained within suitable ranges throughout the study. The findings indicate that WOVA-FH is an effective inducing hormone for the artificial breeding of
C. mrigala
under the environmental conditions of Dhanusha, Nepal. Further improvements in nursery management, particularly feeding practices, dissolved oxygen management, and larval health management, may enhance hatchling survival and improve seed production.