A Method for Calculating the Growth of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus Lacustris Punctatus

Abstract

Evidence from previous studies of the rings on bone structures of fish indicates that in a number of species they are true year marks. Among the species of fish to which this method has been applied is the channel catfish. In order to determine the possibility of computing growth during successive years of life by means of bone markings, the left pectoral spines were collected from 204 channel catfish from Grand Lake, Oklahoma. These spines were cut in cross-section near the base, and the radii of the several growth fields and of the entire spine were measured with a micrometer mounted on a binocular microscope. These measurements revealed a high coefficient of co?relation (r = 0.969) between body length and spine radius.The straight line fitted to the measurements of fish length and spine radius for 187 fish had an intercept of --3.24 millimeters of fish length. Since this intercept is zero for all practical purposes, growth calculations were made by direct proportion. Both the method of aging and calculating growth of channel catfish appear to be satisfactorily accurate, since (1) the number of spine rings increases as the average length of the fish increases; (2) the calculated length of age-group II at the end of the secon.d year of life slightly exceeds the measured length of age-group I at the time of capture, and the growth to the third annulus of age-group III slightly exceeds the measured length of age-group II when captured in August; and (3) the markings on the pectoral spines of 50 channel catfish of known age corresponded to the markings as read on the spines collected from Grand Lake.

Fin-Spine Selection and Section Level Influence Potential Age Estimates of Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax)

“…specific. Results from the present study, together with previous literature (Sneed, 1951;Franks et al, 1998Franks et al, , 2000Koch et al, 2008), suggest that the base of fin spines is generally more suitable for age estimation than distal levels, and that variability in annulus counts or readability between spines may be a common feature of ray-finned fishes. Careful evaluation of different fin spines and section levels is recommended as a standard method of practice for future fin-spine aging studies.…”

“…Unvalidated aging studies that do not, or are unable to, compare annulus counts among different fin spines and levels of fin spines could be exposed to the risk of apparent 'age' differences caused by fin-spine choice or section level, rather than genuine biological differences. Previous literature on other ray-finned fishes (Sneed, 1951;Franks et al, 1999Franks et al, , 2000Koch et al, 2008) alongside the present investigation suggests that variation in annulus counts among fin spines or soft rays may be more common than expected. Similar to the present investigation, the optimal section location in pectoral fin rays of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus; Koch et al, 2008), and Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus; Sneed, 1951) was nearest the base with fewer annuli and less precise counts observed approaching the distal tips.…”

“…Previous literature on other ray-finned fishes (Sneed, 1951;Franks et al, 1999Franks et al, , 2000Koch et al, 2008) alongside the present investigation suggests that variation in annulus counts among fin spines or soft rays may be more common than expected. Similar to the present investigation, the optimal section location in pectoral fin rays of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus; Koch et al, 2008), and Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus; Sneed, 1951) was nearest the base with fewer annuli and less precise counts observed approaching the distal tips. Franks et al (1999Franks et al ( , 2000 examined annulus counts in fin spines of oceanic species including the Tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) and Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) and, unlike the present study, found that D1 was more suitable than other posterior spines.…”

“…Fin spines have become the preferred calcified structure used for estimating the age and growth parameters of billfishes (Kopf et al, 2010) and many other ray-finned fishes (Sneed, 1951;Beamish, 1981;Franks et al, 1998Franks et al, , 2000Stevenson and Secor, 2000;Metcalf and Swearer, 2005;Koch et al, 2008). Otoliths of billfishes are remarkably small, and they exhibit a complex growth pattern along three axes, which makes enumeration of increments difficult (Radtke, 1983;Prince et al, 1991).…”

Forensic reconstruction ofIctalurus punctatusinvasion routes using on-line fishermen records

“…the construction of the largest reservoir in Western Europe (Alqueva reservoir, established in 2002), might have aided the expansion and establishment of the channel catfish in Portugal as suggested for the black bullhead Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820) by Ribeiro et al (2006). The specimens collected in Alqueva were 4 to 5 years old (Appelget and Smith Jr., 1951;Sneed, 1951;Tucker and Hargreaves, 2004) and thus were born approximately in 2011 after dam construction, suggesting the establishment of a breeding population locally.…”