MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regarded as key regulators in gonadal development and sex determination in diverse organisms. However, the functions of miRNAs in gonads of Acrossocheilus fasciatus, an economically important freshwater species in the south of China, are still unclear. Here, high-throughput sequencing was performed to investigate the mRNA and miRNAs on gonads of A. fasciatus. In total, 49,447 unigenes were obtained, including 11,635 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), among which 4147 upregulated genes and 7488 downregulated genes in the testis compared to the ovary, while 300 (237 known, and 63 novel) miRNAs with 36 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified, from which 17 upregulated and 19 downregulated DEMs. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed to analyze the potential biological functions of DEGs and DEMs. Using qRT-PCR, 9 sex-related genes and 9 miRNAs were selected to verify the sequencing data. By dual-luciferase reporter assay, miR-22a-5p and miR-22b-5p interaction with piwil1, and miR-10d-5p interaction with piwil2 were identified. These findings could provide a reference for miRNA-regulated sex control of A. fasciatus and may reveal new insights into aquaculture and breeding concepts.

The Chinese hook snout carp (Opsariichthys bidens), an economically valuable freshwater fish, has transitioned from a detrimental species to an emergent commercial resource due to its nutritional and culinary appeal. However, habitat degradation and overexploitation have significantly reduced its natural populations, necessitating artificial breeding techniques to meet market demand and conserve the species. This study evaluated the efficacy of various exogenous hormone combinations for induced spawning in O. bidens at Jinhua Fish Seed Hatchery, Zhejiang, China. Thirteen hormonal treatments, including domperidone (DOM), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and carp pituitary extract (CPE), were administered to sexually mature females. Results demonstrated that combined hormonal treatments, particularly LHRH + hCG + DOM (T12) and LHRH + DOM + CPE (T13), achieved the highest spawning success rates (96.07% and 95.03%, respectively), fertilization rates (95.17% and 94.50%), and hatching rates (85.06% and 83.84%), with minimal post-spawning mortality (5.05% and 7.36%). Single-hormone treatments showed moderate success, while the saline control group exhibited no spawning activity. These findings highlight the superiority of multi-hormonal regimens in enhancing reproductive performance. The study underscores the potential of artificial breeding to support sustainable aquaculture, reduce reliance on wild populations, and conserve O. bidens as a valuable fishery resource. Future research should focus on optimizing hormonal protocols and understanding their metabolic and thermodynamic properties to further improve breeding efficiency and sustainability.

The main hurdle in steady development of the aquaculture sector is the unavailability of balanced and cost-effective feed which accounts for almost 60% of total farming cost. To resolve this issue, current study was conducted in semi-intensive earthen ponds in district Ali Pur Chattha and Mundi Bahaudin of province Punjab (renowned aquaculture hub in Pakistan) to evaluate the effect of canola and corn gluten-based diets on the growth, body composition, hematology and fatty acid composition of Labeo rohita. 1000 fishes stocked per acre having average weight of 198 ± 19 g at the start of trial and divided in to three groups on the stance of iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets having crude protein of 30% viz. canola-based diet, corn gluten-based diet, and control diet made by 50:50 mixing of canola and corn gluten diets. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied on collected data and results revealed that fish fed with canola-based diet had significantly more increase in body weight as compared to corn gluten and control diets. Significantly higher values of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well as higher blood PROT and GLOB were recorded in fish of control diet. These findings indicate that Labeo rohita showed better growth with canola-based diet due to greater availability of protein from this source and healthy blood and fatty acid composition with control diet, respectively.