Morphometric Characterization and Fillet Yield of Two Commercial Fish Species from Panyam Fish Farm Plateau State

A total of 50 individual samples of Parachanna obscura and Clarias gariepinus were collected fresh from Panyam fish farm with the aid of crush ice for preservation until assessment was carried out to determine the fillet yield of Parachanna obscura in comparism with Clarias gariepinus. The whole fresh fish samples were taken to the department of Fisheries and Aquaculture laboratory of the Federal University, of Agriculture, Makurdi for assessment. Their Total and Standard Lengths were recorded (in cm) using a Measuring Rule, while Total Body Weights were recorded (in grams) using an electronic weighing balance. Data were collected on: the Total Weight (g), Total Length (cm), Standard Length (cm), Visceral Weight (g), Head Length (cm), Weight of Bones (g), Weight of Fins (g) and Weight of Fillet (g) in comparism between the two fish species. Descriptive statistics for morphometric data were determined using Minitab 18® (Minitab 2017). Regression and correlation of variables was carried out in R (R Core Team 2020). Results of the mean measured parameters of Parachana obscura and Clarias gariepinus from Panyam Fish Farm Jos, showed that Total Length (42.66 ± 0.58cm), Standard Length (38.56 ± 0.29cm), Fin Weight (15.51 ± 0.37g), Visceral Weight (11.04 ± 0.17g), Head Weight (1.49 ± 4.01g), Bone weight (39.84 ± 0.80g) and Weight of fillet (89.02 ± 2.38g) of Parachana obscura were higher than the mean measured parameters of Clarias gariepinus. There was a significant difference (p= .05) among the measured parameters between P. obscura and C. gariepinus. The higher fillet percentage per body weight of P. obscura in comparism to C. gariepinus is a pointer to a relatively higher economic value for commercial purposes of this species. This assessment also provides information for further studies on this species to be built on, as there is obvious need for Nigeria’s aquaculture system to diversify from the prevalent catfish culture.