Reproductive biology and length-weight relationship of the Pool Barb Puntius sophore (Hamilton, 1832) in Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was conducted within the Freshwater station of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in Mymensingh from November 2019 to October 2020. The main objectives were to acquire additional knowledge regarding length-weight connection, condition factor, sex ratio, gonadosomatic index, and fecundity of P. sophore. It was possible to determine the spawning season each month by comparing the levels of the gonadosomatic index for the two sexes. Both sexes of the P. sophore species showed negative allometric growth, as indicated by the length-weight relationships of TW=0.0165TL2.852 for females and TW=0.035TL2.956 for males. For females, the average condition factor was 1.17±0.096, while for males, it was 3.24±0.19. Both times, the condition factor's value was high (>1), demonstrating that both sexes are in good health. From collected fish, 147 (55.12%) of the 264 fish samples that were taken were females, whereas 117 (44.88%) were males (Females: Males=1:0.82). The chi-square test showed that the male-to-female ratio during the sample months was not significantly different from 1:1 (χ2= 0.15, p>0.05). The spawning season extended from May through July, with June representing both sexes' peak spawning time. According to the study, the month of June had the highest absolute fecundity, which was 7829 and the absolute fecundity value was found to be lowest in the month of October 803 with an average value of about 3560 throughout the study period. For the management and protection of this species, this data will be valuable to researchers and those who decide on fisheries policy.