Condition Factors and Length‐Weight Relationships of Pond‐Cultured Paddlefish Polyodon spathula with Reference to Other Morphogenetic Relationships

Paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, is valued as a commercial fish for its roe as well as a sport fish (Carlson and Bonislawsky 198 1). Interest in paddlefish as an intensively cultured species has increased in recent years (Graham et al. 1986; Semmens and Shelton 1986). Many state and federal hatcheries are rearing paddlefish for repopulation programs. Length-weight tables and condition factors are basic tools in fish culture management (Piper et al. 1982). Length-weight relationships allow for interchangeable calculations during hatchery and production operations. Condition factors are calculated as the ratio of weight to length cubed. These ratios are a measure of fish fitness and are sometimes used to indicate ability of fish to spawn (Anderson and Gutreuter 1983). Current length-weight information of paddlefish is limited to small sample sizes oflarval and juvenile fish caught from rivers and reservoirs (Swingle 1965). Such data used for cultured fish probably do not give a reliable indication of growth, conditioning, or age because of the lack of controlled environmental conditions (Piper et al. 1982). If paddlefish research and production are to advance further, basic information on these conditions from paddlefish reared in controlled systems should be made available.