Article

This study was conducted to examine the Gonadosomatic and liversomatic index of Clarias gariepinus in thewild and cultured environment was carried out for a period of two months (October and December, 2021). A total of 40 adult Clarias gariepinus were used in this study, comprising 20 cultured (from a private farm in Makurdi) and 20 wild fish (from the Lower River Benue). The GSI and HSI of the female sex in the cultured (GSI = 8.25±1.02; HSI = 1.70±0.52) varied significantly (p<0.05) from the wild (GSI = 1.40±0.38; HSI = 1.49±0.09) in the month of October. The male sex variation: cultured (GSI = 2.10±0.00; LSI = 2.45±0.00) ; wild (GSI = 0.49±0.14; HSI = 1.59±0.15). Variations in December for the female sex as: cultured (GSI = 4.85±1.00; HSI = 0.97±0.10) and wild (GSI = 0.38±0.06; HSI = 1.07±0.17). All comparisons were statistically significant (p<0.05). It was concluded that the GSI and HSI of Clarias gariepinus are higher in the cultured than in the wild I therefore recommend that indiscriminate dumping of toxicants into the water bodies should be controlled.