Abstract: We compared three proportional backcalculation methods [body proportional (BPH), scale proportional hypothesis (SPH) and Fraser-Lee] for three cyprinid species (Leuciscus cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), Petroleuciscus borysthenicus (Kessler, 1859), Chalcalburnus chalcoides (Güldenstädt, 1772)). We validated backcalculation by comparing them with observed lengths at time of annulus formation. For L. cephalus and C. chalcoides scales, opercula and cleithra were used, while P. borysthenicus only scales was used. Body-scale, body-opercula and body-cleithra relationships was best described by a power function for C. chalcoides and P. borysthenicus while same relationships was best described by linear relationship for L. cephalus. Our result suggested that in the backcalculation of the lengths of C. chalcoides and P. borysthenicus, BPH method gives the most reliable results. However, Fraser-Lee method was the best for L. cephalus. For all studied fishes, the statistical comparisons showed clearly that the choice of the backcalculation method became less significant with increasing age. These results demonstrated that choice of backcalculation method should be taken into account in the growth studies of fish and the validation of the methods should be made separately for each fish species.