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Abstract

The present study investigated the reproductive biology and length‑weight relationship (LWRs) of Oreochromis niloticus collected from Keenjhar Lake, Sindh, Pakistan, between January and December 2024. A total of 450 specimens were analyzed for morphometric and reproductive parameters, including total length (cm), body weight (g), sex, maturity stage (I–VI), gonad weight (g), gonad length (cm), stomach weight (g), and fecundity (egg count). The overall sex ratio (female:male) was 1.23:1, with females significantly outnumbering males (χ²= 6.98, df= 1, P= 0.008). The length‑weight relationship showed positive allometric growth in females (b= 3.21) and isometric growth in males (b = 3.04). Gonadosomatic index (GSI) peaked in females during January, May, and December, with the highest mean GSI in January (1.20%). However, May also showed elevated GSI, indicating a possible spawning peak in late spring. Absolute fecundity ranged from 88 to 713 eggs per female, with strong positive correlations to body length (r= 0.87) and body weight (r= 0.91). Maturity stage V (ripe) was most frequent in warmer months (April–September), while stage VI (spent) dominated in cooler months (November–January). These findings provide baseline data for sustainable fishery management and conservation of this economically important cichlid in Pakistan’s freshwater ecosystems.

Keywords

Oreochromis niloticus Length weight relationship Reproductive biology GSI Fecundity Keenjhar Lake

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The authors transfer the copyrights of their papers to the Iranian Society of Ichthyology. However, the information could be used in accordance with the Creative Commons licence (Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

How to Cite
BATOOL, A. (2026). Reproductive biology and growth pattern of Nile Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>) in Keenjhar Lake, Pakistan. Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 13(1), 23–30. https://doi.org/10.22034/iji.v13i1.1143
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