Labeo bata (Hamilton) [Bangla name: Bata] natural inhabits in river system of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan. Moreover it is found in river lakes, haor, floodplains, pond and similar water bodies. It does not breed naturally in ponds and naturally it breeds in rivers during monsoon month (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).
In the Rajshahi area, seeds produced by induced breeding and reared in growout as well as stocked pond. It is very important for its high market value and demand. Moreover it is a very testy fish of all cultured SIS fishes of Bangladesh. Mainly aquatic plant feeder and its food comprise crustaceans and insect larvae in early stages (Bhuiyan, 1964).
The maximum recorded total length 61 cm (Fishbase, 2009) whereas largest examined specimen was 290 mm in total length by Rahman (1989). This fish get mature in 9-10 months (Alikunhi, 1956). Rath (2000) reported that in specimens weighing 1.38–1.78 kg from Bhakra reservoir had the total fecundity range from 3,01,961 to 5,76,251 eggs.
References:
- Bhuiyan AL, 1964. Fishes of Dacca. The Asiatic Society of Pakistan, Dacca. 148pp.
- Alikunhi, K.H. 1956. Fish culture technique in India. Proceedings of Fisheries Development in India. CIFE ICAR, Bombay, India. pp. 63-73.
- Fishbase, 2009. Species summary of Labeo bata. Downloaded from http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=12075&genusname=Labeo&speciesname=bata on dated 04 August 2009.
- Rahman AKA, 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh. Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. xvii+363 pp.
- Rath RK, 2000. Freshwater Aquaculture (2nd Ed.) Scientific Publications (India). 445pp.
- Talwar PK and Jhingran AG, 1991. Inland Fishes of India and Adjacent Countries (Vol. 1 and 2). Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., India. 1158pp.
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