Length-Weight Relationships and Condition Factor of Five Economically Important Freshwater Fish Species from the Indus Tributary, Suru River, Ladakh Trans-Himalayan Region, India

This study examined the length-weight relationships (LWRs) and condition factor for five economically important freshwater fish species from one of the major Indus Tributary, the Suru river, Kargil Ladakh, namely Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832), Schizothorax plagiostomus (Heckel, 1838), Schizothorax progastus, Diptychus maculatus (Steindachner, 1866), and Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792). In total, 499 specimens of all five fish species were collected using different fishing gears like cast nets. During the current study, D. maculatus was the most prevalent fish species whereas S. richardsonii comprised the smallest populations. There were significant LWRs in all cases (all r2 > 90). The values of the Fulton condition factor (K) varied from 0.7 to 1.5 while the exponent b values for the studied species ranged from 2.32- 3.16. The b values exhibited both negative and positive allometric growth pattern. S. plagiostomus had the largest mean total length value (30.38 ± 3.8cm) while S. richardsonii had the smallest mean total length value (17.64 ± 5.5cm). Similarly, S. richardsonii also had the lowest mean body weight value (224.90 ± 96.80g). These findings will serve as baseline information for the conservation and management of the above indigenous fish species of Ladakh Trans-Himalayan region which are declining rapidly.