• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.20-30
• /
• 2022

The present study was carried out to investigate the food and feeding habits of Oreochromis niloticus in Lake Shala to manage this species in this high Soda Lake. Stomachs of 226 fish (65.9%) had different food items, while those of 117 fish (34.1%) were empty. Phytoplankton was the dominant food categories occurring in 90.3% of the stomachs estimated and contributed 75.5% of the total volume. Bacillariophyceae (Nitzschia, Anomoeoneis, Navicula and Melosira) were identified as the most desired phytoplankton item. The prey items of O. niloticus differed among size classes (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The main prey items were zooplankton by the smaller-size class, and phytoplankton in fish of the larger-size class. Seasonal variation in the diet composition was evident (t-test, p < 0.05) and zooplankton, chironomids, nematodes, fish scales and detritus were important during the wet season, while phytoplankton predominates during the dry season. This study concludes that O. niloticus had a phytoplanktivores feeding mainly on phytoplankton and their feeding habits influenced by season and fish size in Lake Shala.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.8
• /
• pp.491-499
• /
• 2023

Lake Tinisu Abaya is home to some fish species. The lake's native fish species include Barbus and Tilapia zilli. Tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus L.) were stocked in Lake Tinishu Aabaya in 1997. This study aimed to investigate the feeding behaviors of O. niloticus in Lake Tinishu Abaya to develop an appropriate fisheries management approach in the lake. 428 O. niloticus fish samples (2.5 to 30.9 cm and 1.1 to 475 g) were collected to calculate the diet composition. Out of the total of 428 gut contents examined, 55 (12.85%) were found to be empty and 373 (87.15%) to be containing one or more food items. The diet behavior of the stocked fish in the study lake revealed that phytoplankton (39.5% by volume) and macrophytes (25.81% by volume) were the most noteworthy food items followed by detritus (14.39%) and zooplankton (12.95%). With increasing fish size, the importance of phytoplankton, macrophytes, and detritus increased while the contribution of zooplankton, insects, and other foods with an animal origin decreased. Seasonal variation in the diet composition of fish was evident (t-test; p < 0.05). Macrophytes, zooplankton, and detritus were the dominating food items during the wet season, while phytoplankton predominated during the dry season. This study demonstrated that O. niloticus had phytoplanktivores that primarily consumed phytoplankton and that the seasons and fish size had a significant impact on their feeding preferences. The diet of O. niloticus in Lake Tinishu Abaya comprised foods with both plant and animal origins. It concludes that the dietary habit of O. niloticus in the lake is, generally, the omnivorous type.