Studies of reproductive biology of indian minor carp silver hatchet chela, Chela cachius (Hamilton, 1822) in small tributaries, Ronoriver of Mahanadi, Orissa

The Silver Hatchet Chela, Chela cachius (Hamilton, 1822), a minor carp species of the Cyprinidae family, indigenous to Northern India, this species holds significance as a food source and an ornamental fish. The study was carried out in the small tributaries of the Rono River in Orissa, India, where 80 fish specimens underwent thorough examination to comprehend various aspects of their reproductive biology. The collected fish ranged in length from 10cm to 14cm. The absolute fecundity of the fish ranged from 268 to 365. Female fish exhibited a gonadsomatic index (GSI) suggesting an extended spawning period, fluctuating between 1.72 and 1.79 while the hepatosomatic index (HSI) varied from 2.26 to 2.58. Ovarian histological observation identifying the different stages of ovarian development. There is no evidence of induced breeding of Chela fish. Still, it did observe a decline in the population due to unregulated capture, habitat destruction and the use of pesticides in paddy fields.