Short communication:The effect of gokshura (Tribulus terrestris) and nettle root (Urtica dioica) extracts on growth rate and sex reversal in convict cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum)

Abstract

There are many differences between sex of fishes in many traits before and after puberty. Differences in growth rate, size, behavior patterns, and breeding time between males and females have great economic importance (Turan and Cek, 2007). Therefore, many breeders prefer to delay or prevent puberty or to produce unisex populations. Exogenous steroids can be effective in sex reversal of fishes (Al-ablani and Phelps, 2002). Two hormones, estradiol-17β (femalespecific hormone) and 17αmethyltestosterone (male-specific hormone) are the most commonly used hormones for sex reversal (Stepherd and Bromage, 1995). Feminization (Liu et al., 1996) and musculinization (Gale et al., 1999) of catfish and Nile tilapia can be performed by direct synthetic hormonal treatment.