A comparative study on the feeding habits of Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) in Nyanza Gulf Lake Victoria and sewage fish ponds
Gut content analysis of Oreochromis niloticus from the Nyanza Gulf, Lake Victoria showed that the bulk of the food items ingested constituted bottom deposits and blue green algae. Among the live food items ingested, blue green algae (Cyanophyceae) constituted 53.6%, the diatoms (Bacillariophyaceae) 19.7%, aquatic invertebrates (mainly Copepoda, Cladocera, and Rotifera) 12.9%, desmids (Desmidaceae) 7.7% and lastly the green algae (Chlorophyceae) 6.2%. The most preferred food items were: Spirulina laxisma and Nitzschia accicularis. The least preferred food items were: Lyngbya circumcreta, Microcystis aeruginosa and Pediastrum simplex. The quantity of food eaten by O. niloticus to satiation ranged from 0.016-4.5% body weight. The high growth performance index of the fish is attributed to the food on which it feeds on. The results obtained from the Gulf are compared with those of ealier work done on the food of the species in sewage fish ponds which discharge their effluent into the lake.
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| Format: | Proceedings Paper biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
ICIPE SCIENCE
1994
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| Subjects: | Oreochromis niloticus, Feeding behaviour, Fish ponds, Sewage, Food organisms, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/1160 |
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| Summary: | Gut content analysis of Oreochromis niloticus from the Nyanza Gulf,
Lake Victoria showed that the bulk of the food items ingested
constituted bottom deposits and blue green algae. Among the live food
items ingested, blue green algae (Cyanophyceae) constituted 53.6%, the
diatoms (Bacillariophyaceae) 19.7%, aquatic invertebrates (mainly
Copepoda, Cladocera, and Rotifera) 12.9%, desmids (Desmidaceae) 7.7%
and lastly the green algae (Chlorophyceae) 6.2%. The most preferred
food items were: Spirulina laxisma and Nitzschia accicularis. The
least preferred food items were: Lyngbya circumcreta, Microcystis
aeruginosa and Pediastrum simplex. The quantity of food eaten by O.
niloticus to satiation ranged from 0.016-4.5% body weight. The high
growth performance index of the fish is attributed to the food on
which it feeds on. The results obtained from the Gulf are compared
with those of ealier work done on the food of the species in sewage
fish ponds which discharge their effluent into the lake. |
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