AGE AND GROWTH RELATIONSHIP OF CATLA CATLA IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM OF RIVER GHAGHRA AT AYODHYA

Abstract

Growth of fishes means a change in length or weight or both with increasing age. Growth is generally an increase in size due to
conversion of the food matter into the building matter of the body by means of the process of nutrition. The rate of growth varies to a large extent among fishes as these are cold blooded. It varies from species to species. It may vary for the same fish from different localities or for the same individual at different seasons (temperature etc). Also, different parts of the body or even different organs have different rates of growth.Fishes continue to grow practically throughout their life (indeterminate growth). However, in extreme old age fish’s growth is extremely slow. Thus, for many fishes the growth curve at first rise up slowly with an increasing slope, representing an increasing rate of growth. In the remainder part, the curve rises with a decreasing slope, representing decline in the rate of growth. The point at which deaceleration occurs, i.e. there is a change from an increase to a decreasing rate, is called the point of inflection. The increase in rate of growth reaches its maximum at the point of inflection.