Fecundity of Wild Freshwater Spiny Eel Mastacembelus armatus Lacepede from Mymensingh Region of Bangladesh

Abstract

The fecundity for 40 wild freshwater spiny eel Mastacembelus armatus estimated from Mymensingh region, Bangladesh during the breeding period from March to July 2004. The estimation of fecundity (mature ova) ranged from 3,155 to 24,684 eggs, the maximum fecundity was observed from a fish measuring 535 mm in length and 350 g in weight and the minimum from a fish of 260 mm in length and 51 g in weight. The maximum ova diameter was 2.75 mm in the month of April and minimum was 1.45 mm in May with a median of 2.08 mm in the month of March and then a sudden decrease in July (1.84 mm). The average number of ova present per gm body weight was 70.19 while the average number of ova present per gm ovary weight was 888.04. Fecundity increased with the increase in length and weight of the fish. Maximum GSI value for female spiny eel was 21.67% in the month of March and the minimum GSI value for the same gender was 3.30% in April and the median GSI value for the same was 8.06% in the month of May. The regressions of fecundity on body length, body weight and gonad weight of female spiny eels were Log F = 2.59 - 2.72 × Log L (r = 0.86), Log F = 1.00 + 1.84 × Log BW (r = 0.88) and Log F = 0.69 + 3.25 × Log GW (r = 0.75) respectively, where F is fecundity, L is total length (mm), BW is body weight (g) and GW is gonad weight (g). Fecundity-total length and fecunditybody weight gave a better relationship in comparison with fecundity-gonad weight relationship.