International Journal of Aquaculture, 2018, Vol.8, No.3, 17-22
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2013; Wakjira, 2013; Engdaw, 2014; Geberemedhin and Mengist, 2014; Awoke et al., 2015; Teshome et al., 2015;
Abera, 2016; Melaku et al., 2017; Temesgen, 2017). However, there is no compiled information on the
length-weight relationship and condition factor of
L. intermedius
in different Ethiopian water bodies. Therefore,
this review paper is aimed to assess the length-weight relationship and condition factor of the African big barb
Labeobarbus intermedius
in Ethiopian water bodies.
2 Materials and Methods
Data sources were collected from June, 2017 through November, 2017. A range of literature sources were used for
this review including journal articles, books and book chapters, workshop proceedings, FAO reports, bulletins,
legal documents, and unpublished reports including PhD dissertations. The documents were collected from
University libraries and Ethiopian Ministry of Livestock and fishery, from individual researchers, and from the
Internet data bases.
2.1 Some biological parameters of
L. intermedius
in lentic and lotic systems
2.1.1 Length-weight relationship
The length-weight relationship indicates the wellbeing of fishes (Hamid et al., 2015). Fish can attain either
isometric, negative allometric or positive allometric growth in its life (Nehemia et al., 2012). Isometric growth
(b=3) is the type of growth when all the body parts grow at an approximately the same rate as the fish grows. The
isometric growth pattern was reported from Lake Tana and tributaries of Blue Nile (Tesfaye, 2006; Gebremedhin
et al., 2012; Gebremedhin and Mengist, 2014; Engdaw, 2014; Awoke et al., 2015) (Figure 1). Negative allometric
growth (b<3) is the type of growth in which fish become slender as it increases in weight.
Labeobarbus
intermedius
caught from Lake Langano, Gilgel Gibe reservoir and some tributaries of White Nile (Wakjira, 2013;
Abera, 2016; Melaku et al., 2017; Temesgen, 2017) (Figure 1) such negative pattern. Positive allometric growth
(b>3) in which fish become relatively deeper-bodied as it increases in length (Riedel et al., 2007) has been found
in Gelgel Beles and koka reservoir population (Dadebo et al., 2013; Berie, 2007) (Figure 1). According to Bagenal
and Tesch (1978) the differences in regression coefficient b (growth parameters) might be due to seasonal
fluctuations in water quality parameters, food availability, feeding rate, gonad development and spawning period.
The nearly isometric growth pattern in most common for this species are in both riverine and lacustrine
environments (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Regression coefficient (b) values of
L. intermedius
2.1.2 Fulton Condition Factor (FCF)
Condition factor expresses the degree of wellbeing of fishes in their habitat. On the other hand it is a measure of
various biological and ecological factors with regard to their feeding conditions (Nehemia et al., 2012). Food
availability in the water bodies are influenced by the changes in the water chemistry due to variations in the
atmosphere and the surrounding environments (Pothoven et al., 2001). The condition factor of
L. intermedius
