Trophic Spectrum of the CichlidsCichlasoma (Parapetenia) istlanumandCichlasoma (Arconcentrus) nigrofasciatumin the Amacuzac River, Morelos, Mexico

Abstract

1 compared the trophlc spectrum of Cichlasoma istlanum and C. nigrofasciatum of the Amacuzac, kver. The diet of C. istlanum was composed of 13 prey categories, and that of C. nigrofasciatum had 26. The niche amplitude index values showed that both species have narrow trophc niches (0.29 for C. istlanum and 0.12 for C. nigrofasciatum). The overlapping index of feeding niche value was 0.50, indicating that the diet for both species was sigmficantly different (x 2 = 89.8, P < 0.05). These species shared five food types during the dry season and six during the rainy season. The index of overlap in the rainy season was 0.70. However, chi-square test values indicated that diet was diferentt (XI = 92.35, P <: 0.05). Analysis of the diet by age showed that the young and adults in both species shared three food types. The diets were statistically different (x 2 = 91.7, P < 0.05 for young; x2 = 137.74, P < 0.05 for adults). Cichlasoma istlanum is a specialized entomophagous carnivore, and C. nigrofascjatun~ is an omnivore with a carnivorous tendency. Displacement of C. istlanum by C. n~grofasciatum due to a b e n t a r y interference seems unlikely.

Cooling water of power plant creates “hot spots” for tropical fishes and parasites

“…It seems that convict cichlids show pronounced site fidelity, probably because foraging occurs within their breeding territories, as evidenced by the different diet compositions at the two sampling sites and especially lower parasite infection intensities at site S1. Overall, the diet composition of A. nigrofasciata at the Gillbach was broad and mainly comprised plants and insects, confirming earlier studies that characterized A. nigrofasciata as an omnivorous species (e.g., Trujillo-Jiménez 1998;Hill and Cichra 2005). Many organisms consumed by A. nigrofasciata at S2, such as A. aquaticus (Crustacea) or larvae of Hydropsyche sp.…”

“…A. nigrofasciata is easy to breed in home aquaria and thus commonly traded as an ornamental pet fish. The species has been introduced to waters of Australia, the Hawaiian Islands, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and North America (Lever 1996;Trujillo-Jiménez 1998;Tachihara et al 2002;Roll et al 2007;Piazzini et al 2010;Esmaeli et al 2014). So far, the Gillbach seems to represent the only suitable habitat for A. nigrofasciata in Germany, where the species established a stable population more than 15 years ago (Höfer and Staas 1998).…”

Testing time–place learning in the cichlid fish Nile tilapia

“…Both Nile tilapia and convict cichlids are omnivorous. However, the former is an omnivore with a herbivorous tendency showing much more food specialization, having a preference for specific aquatic macrophytes (Setlikova and Adamek 2004) and some fish and insect prey (Njiru et al 2004), while the latter is an omnivore with a carnivorous tendency, showing no specific prey preference (Trujillo-Jimenez 1998). According with these statements, we assumed that the time-place learning ability is more important for a fish with a more specialized diet, like Nile tilapia, because it would save time and energy in order to get food, once the food availability tended to be somewhat limited.…”

Has a non‐native cichlid of the genus Amatitlania (Actinopterygii, Cichlidae) adapted to the headwaters in Brazilian semi‐arid?

“…Omnivorous and monogamic, convict cichlids thrive in both lotic and lentic environments, deposit their eggs on rocky surfaces and display parental care (Conkel, 1993;Mendoza, Luna, & Aguilera, 2015;Trujillo-Jiménez, 1998). Standard length is under 100 mm (Schmiter-Soto, 2007), with females reaching sexual maturity at less than 35 mm (Ishikawa & Tachihara, 2010).…”