Effects of parasites on growth pattern of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Omi Dam, Omi, Yagba West Local Government Area, Kogi State

Abstract

The study was carried out using 506 Clarias gariepinus specimens over a period of one year, from Omi Dam (Latitudes 8o34’N – 8o38′N, Longitudes 6o37′E – 6o42′E) Omi, Kogi State, Nigeria. Standard methods were used to determine length-weight relationship, condition factor, and parasitic infestation of the fish in the dam. Generally, fish growth for non-parasitized fishes was positively allometric and condition factor is >1.5, while parasitized fishes had negative allometric growth and condition factor is <1.The negative allometry for parasitized shows the fish weight decreases less quickly than the length while positive allometry for non-parasitized fish mean the fish weight increases than the length of the fish. The effect of parasites in the life of parasitized C. gariepinus was found to probably be a major factor responsible for the loss of weight in parasitized fishes and this affected morphometric values(b) in which body weight was an index.