The farming of Chinese carps such as grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus and bighead carp Aristichtys nobilis in Taiwan began at least 100 years ago employing traditional extensive or semi-intensive polyculture. The industry played an important role in the supply of animal protein during the 1960s. Prior to 1964, Chinese carp fry was entirely imported. Not until 1964, the techniques of induced stripped spawning and larval rearing became successful and were disseminated to fish farmers. Since then, it has become a widespread farming practice and the production of fry in Taiwan supplied to both the domestic and foreign markets. Up to this moment, however, it was still the traditional artificial propagation techniques that had been practised, which were labor intensive, time-consuming, and inefficient. Consequently, a device for automation of egg collection and incubation, and transfer of larvae was developed, and upon which five successful experiments on the induced spontaneous spawning were conducted during 1993-94 and their results are reported in this paper. This was the first record in Taiwan. The system is efficient in saving time, spawner, labor and water. It is believed that these accomplishments in grass carp and bighead carp have laid a solid foundation in establishing techniques on mass seed production for other freshwater and marine finfishes.
Key words: Chinese carps, Induced spontaneous spawning, Automation in egg collection and incubation and transfer of larvae.