Diet and dietary habits of the fish Schilbe mystus (Siluriformes: Schilbeidae) in two artificial lakes in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Diet and dietary habits of African Butter Catfish Schilbe mystus (Linne, 1766), an economically important fish in Oyan and Asejire lakes (Southwest Nigeria) were examined between July 2000 and December 2001. Stomach contents were analysed using the numerical, frequency of occurrence and points methods. The fish is predatory but the diet differs among lakes and seasons. Insects were more important in the diet of small (<than 18 cm) fish. There were also differences in the quantity of food encountered in the stomachs of male and female S. mystus in both habitats. The pattern of food selection and consumption in this species differed between the two lakes. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (4): 1847-1855. Epub 2008 December 12.

Food and Feeding Biology of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Langeno, Ethiopia

“…They stay there for a long period and feed on macrophytes and vegetation in the wet season [46]. Spatial and seasonal changes in the lake induce variation in the food composition of O. niloticus [53]. This seems logical, but it shows that Nile tilapia is capable of switching to a food that is more abundant or diverse in its feeding habit and can utilize a wide spectrum of food items in the environment [15].…”

“…In addition, the bigger fish are more capable of digesting cell wall material, and therefore can be less selective in their feeding pattern [55]. The shift in feeding behavior shows a low degree of intraspecific competition for particular food among different length groups [53]. Many investigators also reported similar feeding variations in different size groups of O. niloticus in different water bodies [15,20,49].…”

Comparative Histomorphological Studies on Oesophagus of Catfish and Grass Carp

“…Catfish has a wide geographical spread, a high growth rate, resistant to handling and stress, and well appreciated in a wide number of African countries. It is considered the third important commercial fish in Egypt after tilapia and bagrids [1,2]. It can be recognized by its long dorsal and anal fins, which gives it a rather eel-like appearance.…”

Sequence Variations and Phylogeny Relationships Among Seven River Nile Teleosti Species from Qena, Egypt Based on Mitochondrial 16S Rrna Gene Sequences

“…An estimated 128 fish species belonging to different families populate the River Nile (Ali 1984;Witte et al, 2009;van Zwieten et al, 2011;El-Sayed 2016). Fish families of Schilbeidae, Cyprinidae, Cichlidae, Bagaridae, Mormyridae, Latidae and Clariidae within the River Nile possess a number of species with considerable economic and important aquaculture purposes (Abd el Rahman and El Moghraby, 1984;Nwadukwe, 1995;Ayoade, et al, 2008;Mohammed and Ali 2008;Alhassan, et al, 2011;Mekkawy and Hassan, 2012;El-Saidy, 2015).…”