Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the variation in growth and survival in Pseudoplatystoma punctifer larvae from 1 to 26 days post fertilization (dpf). Four progenies, obtained by combining the eggs of a single female and a pool of sperm from four males, were raised in communal tanks. All families were grown in a recirculating water system and fed with artemia from 3 days post-fertilization, five times a day and every 3 hours from 7:30 to 19:30. The mean total length and differential viability were calculated for each family, and analyzed by ANOVA. The results showed that from 4 hours after hatching there is a high contribution of two families to the progeny which was maintained until the end of the follow-up period (1 to 26 dpf). This is a clear evidence of the importance of male contribution in the early life history of the progeny.