HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS AND ABUNDANCE OF GOONCH(BAGARIUS YARELLI) IN PERJAYA DAM,KOMERING RIVER,SOUTH SUMATRA, INDONESIASofian, Syaeful Anwar, Naim Pramono, Alfi Sahrinand Diah Ayu Satyari UtamiAbstract This study is aimed to observe the habitat characteristics and abundance of goonch in Perjaya Dam, KomeringRiver, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Sampling was conducted from March to September 2020 using thepurposive sampling method at three stations which were Komering River watersheds located in threedifferent villages, namely Trengguli Village (Station I), Perjaya Village (Station II), and Way Handak Village(Station III). Goonch caught were measured for total length and weight to determine length and weightclasses. The measurement of environmental conditions was done through in situ and ex situ water qualityparameters measurements. Food habits of goonch were analyzed by observing diet composition anddetermining the main food of goonch based on analysis of gut content. A higher abundance of goonch wasfound during the dry season in August 2020 at a value of 40 individuals that was higher than that of duringthe rainy season (8 individuals) in March 2020. The highest number of captured fish was on the size of 19-101 g (27 individuals), while the highest number of captured fish based on the fish length classes was foundon the size of 19-22 cm (15 individuals). Most of physical and chemical factors in all stations were in normalranges, except dissolved oxygen that was below the normal range and ammonia level that was above thenormal range for freshwater culture practices. Gut content of goonch consisted of insects, small crustaceans,small fish, and plankton. The main food of goonch of was small crustaceans that had a value of 42.41% in index of preponderance. Thus, it demonstrated that goonch is categorized as carnivorous fish. |