Length-weight relationship of Parachanna obscura from Egbe Reservoir, Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Length-weight relationship and condition factor play significant roles in fisheries management. The growth pattern and wellbeing of Parachanna obscura from Egbe Reservoir was evaluated employing length-weight relationship and Fulton’s Condition Factor (K). One hundred specimens of the fish were procured from artisanal fishermen between January and April, 2018. Fish were fixed in 10% Formalin and transported to the laboratory for data collection. Sex ratio for the fish samples was 1:1.33 in favour of male. The total length of the sampled fish ranged between 17.9 and 36.1cm. Fish weight ranged from 88.1 to 425.2g. The parameter ‘b’ for the fish was 2.359 in the Reservoir, denoting negative allometric growth pattern. The correlation coefficient (r2) was 0.571. Mean Condition Factor of the fish was found to be 0.938, thus indicating the suitability of the habitat to promote the wellbeing of the fish. Females appeared lengthier and heavier. Over seventy percent of the fish samples had lengths higher than the reported Lm50 for the species. The results of this study revealed that the fish appeared not threatened in the habitat and could therefore serve a basis for proposing management strategies for the exploitation of fisheries resources of the reservoir.