Abstract

Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758) is a fresh water fish, widely distributed, and mainly used in aquaculture in the world. The present study was designed to investigate the biology of this species in dams of Foum El-Khanga and Ain Dalia, Souk-Ahras during a period of March 2015 to February 2016. A total of 347 specimens of C. carpio collected from Foum El-Khanga dam of Souk Ahras, Algeria, were used to study some biological aspects of Carp (demography, age, growth diet and reproduction). Although in Ain Dalia, we noticed the weak sampling effort, only 34 individuals of C. carpio were collected during all cycle period (March to February 2016), making us able just to carry out a demographical study and qualitative analysis of diet.

High significant differences were noticed between the total average lengths of females (33, 44±0, 38) and males (30, 88±0, 31). The age of C. carpio read by scalimetry varies from 2 to 7 years, since the dominant age belonged to the group of 3 years.

The frequency distribution of size and the growth parameters were analyzed, according to ELEFAN method, using FISAT II software. The growth parameters of Von Bertalanffy for the two combined sexes were calculated as L∞ = 58, 28 cm, P∞ = 2019, 76 g, K = 0, 30 year-1, t0 = -0, 47 years. Further, the results showed that the values L∞ and W∞ of females are higher than those found for males.
The performance index (Φ́́́́) showed a quick relative growth of local population (Φ́́́́ = 3, 008).

Moreover, the relationship size-weight for the combined sexes was estimated as follows: W = 0, 0181 × Lt2, 859 (R2 = 0, 963). The statistical analyses have shown (test-t, p < 0, 05) that the coefficient b for the separated and combined sexes is significantly inferior than 3 (allometry minorant), showing high correlation between size and weight.

In Foum El-Khanga dam, the stomachs of 347 specimens of total length comprised between 21, 6 and 54, 9 cm were analyzed as a function of the year, seasons, sample collections and fish sexes. The qualitative analysis of contents evidenced a diversified diet with 3051 counted preys. Nine different items were identified. In spite of the numerical fluctuations of ingested preys by C. carpio, the statistical comparison using the Spearman correlation coefficient (rho) has evidenced a homogenous diet during the four seasons of sampling, and following sexes.

In Ain Dalia dam, the stomachs of 34 specimens of total length comprised between 10, 2 and 26 cm were analyzed. Five different items were identified. C. carpio of Foum El-Khanga and Ain Dalia dams are omnivore.

The sex ratio is in favor of females. The follow-up of the monthly evolution of three parameters (RGS, RHS and K) of C. carpio showed that this cyprinids posses laying period: one is spring period, and the other one is autumn-wintry. The histological studies indicated that the maturation of ovaries is asynchronous. This study leads us to determine microscopically five maturation stages.

Key words: Cyprinus carpio, demography, age, growth, diet, reproduction, Foum El-Khanga, and Ain Dalia dams (Souk-Ahras, Algeria).

Information

Item Type:	Thesis
Divisions:	» Laboratory for Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
ePrint ID:	1268
Date Deposited:	2018-06-06
Further Information:	Google Scholar
URI:	https://www.univ-soukahras.dz/en/publication/article/1268

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