Length-weight relationships and condition factor of fish species from Taï National Park Basins, Côte d'Ivoire

This study describes the length-weight relationships (LWR) and condition factors of twenty-four fish species from eleven families found in rivers of Taï National Park. A total of 1545 specimens were caught by using various mesh size of gill nets between January 2012 and September 2013. The growth coefficient (b) values obtained for the twenty-four fish species ranged between 1.890 for Barbus ablabes and 4.437 for Chromidotilapia guntheri. The value of b for four species indicated isometric growth at Tai National Park. For the other twenty species, b differed significantly (p<0.05) from 3. The length-weight relationships for three species (Micralestes eburneensis, Malapterurus punctatus and Polypterus palmas) in Ivoirian waters are hereby published for the first time. The condition factors (K) of the fish species ranged from (0.589) in Papyrocranus afer to (3.809) in Tilapia zillii. Twenty fish species had their K values outside the range (2.9-4.8) recommended as suitable for matured fresh water fish