Length-weight Relationships and Condition Factor of Chub (Squalius cephalus, Linnaeus, 1758) from the Area of Northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The aim of this research is the analysis of the length-weight relationships and the condition factor of chub (Squalius cephalus L.) from certain rivers in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina that belong to the Black Sea basin. The research was conducted on 200 specimens of chub (Squalius cephalus L.) during 2019. The estimated values of the total body length ranged from 10.06 cm to 29.33 cm, with the mean body length of 15.97 cm in the total sample. The fish weight ranged from 8.0 g to 264.5 g, with the mean value of 46.8 g. The length-weight relationships of chub were determined in relation to their age classes. The fish in age classes 1+, 4+ and 5+ indicate a positive allometric growth (b > 3), while the fish in age classes 2+ and 3+ have a negative allometric growth (b < 3). The analysis of the coefficient of determination, R2, shows that the fish in age classes 1+ i 4+ have the highest values of this coefficient (> 0,9). ANOVA analysis of the condition factor of chub based on age classes indicates that there are no statistically significant differences in the distribution of this factor between the fish of the same age classes from different localities (P < 0.05).