Fecundity and Gonadal Periodicity of Snakehead, Channa striata from River Indus, Near Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

T he snakehead Channa striata (Bloch) is an airbreathing fish locally called as Shakur, Sol and commonly as Stripe Murrells is widely distributed in Asia and Africa (Narejo et al., 2015). It is commercially important, high-prized, carnivorous, fast growing and hardy fish could be reared with other cultured Abstract | Fecundity and gonadal periodicity of Channa striata from River Indus, near Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan was examined from 240 samples (120 for each sex) during October 2020 to September 2021.The experimental fish was procured from the commercial catch of local fisher community. The investigations were based on estimation of fecundity and its relationship with other body parameters, variation in egg size and calculation of gonadosomatic index. The results of fecundity estimation were based on 10 mature female fish ranging in size 30.4 to 43 cm and from 235.0 to 765.0 g in length and weight respectively. The lowest egg production (2193) was noted from small sized and highest was recorded (11830 eggs) from large fish. Egg production ability was noted ideally co-related by weight of ovary in relation to length and weight of fish. Egg size measurement reveals that the ova was noted to be increased in size during August to October (0.95 to 1.2 mm), after extrusion, there were no gonads during November to January and again start developing from February 0.1 to 1.2 mm that indicated that fish breeds onetime in year having peak during October. GSI values also showed similar trend of increasing the size of gonads from 0.2 to 2.0 and from 0.5 to 5.5 in both sexes. Lastly, it was decided that egg production capacity (fecundity) showed strong association with ovary weight in Channa striata from River Indus near Jamshoro as compared with other parameters.