Effects of parasites on growth pattern of African catfish (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i>) 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.