Morphometric and Meristic Characteristics of Clarias gariepinus from Controlled and Uncontrolled Population from Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Studies on the nineteen morphological characteristics and meristic traits of C. gariepinus collected from those bred by a fish farmer in a fish pond in Emure- Ekiti (controlled population) and those from the wild population in Ogbese river (uncontrolled population), in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria were carried out between August and December, 2012. One hundred and twenty –three (123) fish individuals collected by cast and dragging nets were bought, out of which sixty-one (61) were from the fish farm in Emure- Ekiti and sixty-two were from Ogbese river. The mean body weight and total length of the fish were 530.67±18.74g and 42.53±0.55cm and 507.02±26.26g; and 42.40±0.58cm for the controlled and uncontrolled fish population respectively. The length-weight relationship Original Research Article