STUDIES ON AGE AND GROWTH OF CHANNA ARGUS IN THE WANGHU LAKE

This paper deals with the age and growth of Channa argus based on 75 specimen collected from Wanghu Lake in 1997 and 1998.The scales were used for age determine and growth rate estimation.The results are summarized as follows:1.The correlation between the body length and scale radius is linear, and the formula is L = 0.2423 + 13.69358 (r=0.9976, n = 75).2.The individuals from three to five years old were dominant and represented more than 76.0% of total catch of the fish in Wanghu Lake.Within the age interval, the body weight of each individual is from 700 to 2500g.3.The correlation between the body weight and body length is exponential, and the formula is W = 0.01387L3.1694 (r= 0.9572, n= 18).4.The growth corresponding to various ages can be described by Von Bertalanffy equation, and the formulae are Lt= 72.8 (1 - e-0.2263 (t + 0.8014)) and Wt= 11064.1(1-e-0.2263(t + 0.8014))3.1694.where L∞= 72.8cm, W∞ = 11064.1g, k = 0.2263, t0= -0.8014 year, ti = 4.30year and Wi = 3331.9g.5.The minimum harvesting age group of the fish in Wanghu Lake should be limited at 4 years old, and the corresponding size are 45cm in body length and 2500g in body weight.