Aspects of the biology of <i>Hemichromis bimaculatus</i> from a small stream in Nigeria

The diet, condition factor, gonadosomatic index, length:weight and length:fecundity relationships of a Hemichromis bimaculatus population from the Kandole Shela, a small stream in northern Nigeria, are described. In dietary terms the species is a generalized invertebrate predator, chiefly taking food categories in relation to their abundance throughout the year. The pattern of egg maturation indicates that repeated spawning occurs, and it is argued that this is an appropriate reproductive strategy for the habitat occupied.