Sperm quality and its freezing ability throughout the spawning season in Prochilodus lineatus and Brycon orbignyanus

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine fresh and frozen sperm quality evaluated over two spawning seasons (2013–2014; 2014–2015) in Prochilodus lineatus and Brycon orbignyanus. The spawning seasons were divided into two sampling periods: November to December and January to February. Males were hand-stripped after carp pituitary treatment. Fresh sperm motility rate, velocities (curvilinear = VCL; straight-line = VSL; average path = VAP), and the beat cross frequency (BCF) were determined using a Computer-Assisted Sperm Analyzer (CASA). Sperm of each species was frozen using methyl glycol as cryoprotectant and a glucose solution for P. lineatus or a NaCl solution for B. orbignyanus as extender. Diluted sperm was loaded into 0.25 mL straws, frozen in a nitrogen vapor vessel (dry shipper) and stored in a liquid nitrogen vessel. Six months later, straws were thawed in a water bath at 60 °C for 3 s and sperm quality was determined, as described for fresh sperm. No significant difference was observed for any of the fresh and frozen sperm features between the two spawning seasons or the two sampling periods in P. lineatus and in B. orbignyanus. Motility rate and velocities, but not BCF, was always higher in fresh sperm when compared with frozen sperm. Comparing both species, higher motility in frozen sperm and higher VCL and VAP in both fresh and frozen sperm were observed for P. lineatus , while higher VSL in fresh sperm and higher BCF in both fresh and frozen sperm were observed for B. orbignyanus. Sperm quality and its freezing ability of both species were sustained over the spawning season and thus fish farmers can reproduce these species and freeze their sperm in any time throughout the spawning season. P. lineatus sperm is more resistant to the cryopreservation process than B. orbignyanus.