Length-weight relationship and growth performance of different life stages of hatchery-produced magur, Clarias magur (Hamilton, 1822)

Length-weight relationship (LWR) of 661 numbers of hatchery-produced magur, Clarias magur of all the life stages such as hatchlings, fry, fingerlings, juveniles and adults, was studied. The LWR of all the life stages of magur was estimated and the equations are as follows, hatchlings W = 0.0052*L-1.282 (r(2) = 0.8784), fry W = 0.0088*L-3.028 (r(2) = 0.8113), fingerlings W = 0.0065*L-3.226 (r(2) = 0.8906), juveniles W = 0.0028*L-3.420 (r(2) = 0.8175) and adults W = 0.0017*L-3.491 (r(2) = 0.8310). A positive allometric growth (b > 3) was observed in all the life stages except hatchlings. The annual growth rate of magur was observed with the body length and weight of 24 +/- 1 cm and 115 +/- 17 g, respectively, under the commercial production system. This is the first kind of study that describes about the LWR and growth performance of all the life stages of hatchery-produced C. magur catfish from hatchlings to adults under commercial production system. This study will be more useful to the hatchery managers and fish growers to optimize the resources and husbandry practices to improve the growth, survival, and biomass production.