Impact of gonad weight on the length-weight relationships of river catfish (Clupisoma garua) in Bangladesh

Abstract

This study was intended to assess the effect of gonadal weight on the length-weight relationships for year-round samples of river catfish (Clupisoma garua) collected from Old Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh. The standard length (SL) and body weight (BW) of females varied from 11.8 to 27.8 cm and 23.26 g to 272.23 g. Likewise, the length of male ranged from 8.97 to 18.9 cm and weight varied from 8.44 to 102.0 g, respectively. In monthly length-weight relationship, the slope (b) value including gonad ranged from 2.29 to 3.87 and 2.28 to 3.86 without gonad. The values of coefficient of determination (r2) for extended from 0.774 to 0.994. The generalized relationship of combined data was BW = 0.0107SL3.08. However, the b value at 95% confidence limit suggested that the populations’ growth in all sampling months was isometric except in January. The analysis of covariance indicated no significant difference between length-weight relationships including and excluding gonads. Therefore, this study concluded that the isometric growth reported might be subjected by the comparatively higher temperature of summer months with the enhancement of food availability, intensive feeding and metabolic activity of fishes. Conversely, there was no impact of gonad on the length-weight relationships of Clupisoma garua population. Keywords: Gonad weight, Length-weight relationship, Clupisoma garua, Bangladesh