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On the Food and Feeding Habit of an Estuarine Catfish (mystus Gulio Hamilton) in the South-west Coast of Bangladesh

M. Begum
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Brackish water Station, Paikgacha, Khulna-9280, Bangladesh

M. J. Alam
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Brackish water Station, Paikgacha, Khulna-9280, Bangladesh

M. A. Islam
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Brackish water Station, Paikgacha, Khulna-9280, Bangladesh

H. K. Pal
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Brackish water Station, Paikgacha, Khulna-9280, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

All the food groups showed considerable monthly variations in the gut contents of the fish. Among all the food groups insects was found to be the most dominant food item by average points per fish in most of the months of the year. Next to insects, diatoms, green algae, cladocerans and Copepods occupied the successive position by average point per fish. Comparatively greater amount of insects was found to occur during winter and summer months whereas diatoms and green algae was found to be most dominant during autumn months in the gut contents of the fish. The food groups such as copepods and cladocerans were recorded mostly in the gut contents of immature and juvenile fishes.

Keywords: Food and feeding habit, Estuarine catfish (Mystus gulio Hamilton), South-west coast of Bangladesh

Location: Paikgacha Upazila, under Khulna district

Start Date: 00-09-2005

End Date: 00-08-2006

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Cat fish

Objectives:

To identify the food and feeding habits of M. gulio to generate the base line information for facilitating the sustainable aquaculture especially in the coastal belt of the country.

Methodology:

A total of 250 fishes of different size, maturity and sex groups were collected randomly from different places of Paikgacha Upazila, under Khulna district of Bangladesh during the period of September, 2005 to August, 2006. Immediately after collection the fishes were preserved in 10% formalin solution to prevent the break down of the food materials. In the laboratory, fishes were washed, cleaned and total length in mm of each fish was measured and then the qualitative and quantitative analyses of stomach contents of each fish were done by point and percentage of frequency of occurrence methods.The different food items eaten by the fishes were identified under microscope. To study the gut content each stomach was analyzed separately. The stomach of individual fish was cut open and removed on to petridish with the help of very fine forceps. The percentage of occurrence of a particular food item was calculated on the basis of the following formula: Percentage of occurrence of a food type = (Number of gut where the food occurred/Total no of gut analyzed) x 100. To apply the point’s methods all the food items eaten by the species were identified. Then the volume of the stomach contents of each fish was estimated by observation and recorded on an absolute scale and points were allotted to each stomach according to the volume of its contents. In case of Index of fullness methods, the index of fullness of the stomach was recorded irrespective of the size of the stomach of the fish using ‘0’ for empty; ‘1’ for one fourth full, ‘2’ for half full, ‘3’ for three fourth full and ‘4’ for full stomach. The gut contents analyses of M. gulio were performed by three methods namely frequency of occurrence method, points method and index of fullness method. It is well known that no single method is adequate for analysis of stomach contents of food. The total length of the fishes ranged from 40-180 mm.

Source of Information: Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol. 27, 2008 pp. 91-94; ISSN 1023-6104

Article Link (Online Journal): http://journals.sfu.ca/bd/index.php/UJZRU

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The food items in the stomach of M. gulio suggested that they are euryphagous (i.e. feeding on a wide range of organisms). It was also observed that M. gulio can be classified as an omnivorous feeder as the diet covers a wide spectrum of food ranging from various types of plankton to invertebrates and plants. The fish also exhibits an overlapping in food and feeding habits in order to avoid inter and intra specific competition for available food. This is an important strategy for survival and an advantage over the fish species competing for a specific food item. This explains the availability of M. gulio all the year round.

Knowledge Management: Journal