UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Reproductive biology, including spawning season, gonadal development, and fecundity, is essential for understanding fish population dynamics and supporting sustainable fisheries management. Comparative information on these traits in the small indigenous cyprinids Puntius sophore and Rasbora daniconius remains limited for Upper Lake, Bhopal. The present study reports the reproductive strategies and fecundity (F) of two species, Puntius sophore and Rasbora daniconius, in relation to total length (L), total body weight (W), and gonad weight (G). Fish samples were collected over a one-year period, and reproductive parameters comprising gonadal development, the gonadosomatic index (GSI), and fecundity were assessed. Capture observations indicated that the spawning season of P. sophore extended from June to August, with peak spawning in June–July, although the GSI peaked in May (8.46%). R. daniconius spawned from April to July, with a peak in July (GSI: 2.21%). In both species, a highly significant positive correlation was found between GSI and fecundity (P. sophore: r = 0.358, p < 0.001; R. daniconius: r = 0.361, p = 0.002), indicating that gonadal maturity was closely associated with egg production. However, the correlations between fecundity and body size (length and weight) were not significant in either species. P. sophore showed significantly higher GSI and fecundity than R. daniconius, indicating greater reproductive investment per spawning event. Fecundity showed relationships with L, G, and W. The study provides fundamental insights into the reproductive biology of Puntius sophore and Rasbora daniconius.