DETERMINATION OF GROWTH PATTERN AND SPAWNING SEASON OF ELEPHANT SNOUT FISH, Mormyrus rume (Valennciennes, 1846) IN RIVER NIGER, KEBBI SATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The research was carried out to determine the growth pattern and spawning season of Elephant Snout Fish (Mormyrus rume) in River Niger at Gafara Ngaski, Kebbi State, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and six (106) samples were collected for the research, which covered a total of twelve months (January – December, 2020). Fifty-four (54) out of the total fishes used for the study were females while fifty-two (52) were males. The fishes were purchased from fishermen and placed into sterile plastic containers using containing ice block and transported to the laboratory in the Department of Forestry and Fisheries, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, for analysis. Morphometric measurements of the fish were taken using standard methods and the fish were dissected to take data on gonadosomatic index (GSI). The ʽbʾ values for females and males were 1.545 and 1.578, with correlation coefficients (r2) of 0.944 and 0.919, respectively. The GSI was highest in December (5.22±1.66%), indicating the peak spawning period. The study revealed that the fish exhibit negative allometric growth pattern.