Growth patterns of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in inland waterbodies of Uzbekistan

Reservoirs and lakes in Uzbekistan support important populations of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), yet standardized comparisons of growth and body condition across contrasting water bodies remain scarce. We analyzed length–weight relationships (LWRs) and condition factors of common carp from six lakes and reservoirs of the Aral Sea Basin (Zamonbobo, Karakir, Tudakul, Charvak, Eastern Arnasay, and Tuzkon) using 234 fish (39 per water body) obtained from commercial set-gillnet catches during a common summer sampling window in 2025. Population-specific LWRs showed high statistical fit within the observed size ranges (r² = 0.911–0.993), and estimated b values ranged from 2.667 to 3.086. Robust HC3 inference confirmed significant negative allometry only in Karakir and Tuzkon. Diagnostic tests for condition-factor comparisons indicated non-normal residuals and heterogeneous variances; therefore, Welch’s ANOVA with Games–Howell post hoc comparisons was used for primary inference. Fulton’s condition factor (K) differed significantly among water bodies, whereas the relative condition factor (Kₙ) did not. Because samples were gear-selected commercial catches, size ranges differed among sites, and environmental drivers were not measured directly, these spatial differences are interpreted as baseline biometric patterns rather than causal evidence of habitat effects or stock status. The results provide standardized regional parameters that can support future, more explicitly designed monitoring of common carp populations in Uzbekistan.

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