Gut contents of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) and the processing and digestion of algal cells in the alimentary canal

Seasonal variation of gut Cyanophyta contents and liver GST expression of mud carp (Cirrhina molitorella) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the tropical Xiangang Reservoir (Huizhou, China)

“…Interestingly, the gut contents of mud carp and Nile tilapia were dominated by toxic Cyanobacteria in April, when cyanobacterial blooms were present. Our results were consistent with observations of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) in Lake Donghu by Xie [31], who found that the proportion of cyanobacteria in food items increased when the proportion of cyanobacterial blooms increased in the water. Our results suggested that the seasonal changes in diet may be dependent on the abundance and availability of food items in the water.…”

In situ studies on the distribution patterns and dynamics of microcystins in a biomanipulation fish – bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis)

“…First, food digestion by the sampled fish was usually more advanced (also with much more digestive enzymes) in the anterior part than in the posterior part of the intestines. Second, as bighead carp only digests part of their ingested algae (Xie, 2001), the presence of substantial amount of intact cyanobacterial cells in the hindgut may account for the high contents of MCs. The excretion of MCs through faeces in fish is also attributed to bile excretion, and is considered as the main excretion route of these toxins (Råbergh et al, 1991;Sahin et al, 1996).…”

Dynamics of microcystins-LR and -RR in the phytoplanktivorous silver carp in a sub-chronic toxicity experiment

“…This fish is adapted to an efficient filter-feeding mode mainly on phytoplankton (Xie, 1999(Xie, , 2001). Thus, it should not be astonished to see an evolutionary development of a stronger resistance to MC in silver carp, but not in rainbow trout that are native to relatively cold and oligotrophic habitats, feeding mainly on zooplankton and zoobenthos.…”