Publication Date:
2021-05-19
Description:
The diet of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) is now more diverse than earlier reported. Oreochromis niloticus was considered to be a herbivore feeding mostly on algae and plant material. The diet now consists of insects, fish, algae and plant material. The shift in diet may be due to ecological changes in the lake. Water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, which harbours insects in its root balls, now has extensive coverage of the lake. The native species which preyed on insects (e.g. haplochromines) have largely been eliminated and O. niloticus may be filling niches previously occupied by other species. The change in diet may also be related to food availability and abundance, with the fish feeding on the most easily available food items.
Description:
Njiru, M. (1999) Feeding ecology and population characteristics of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and trophic interactions in the fish community of Nyanza Gulf, Lake Victoria, Kenya. In: Tweddle, D. and Cowx, I.G. (eds.) Report on third Fisheries Data Working Group (FIDAWOG) workshop held at the Triangle Hotel, Jinja, 29 March to 1 April 1999. Jinja, Fisheries Data Working Group of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Research Project, pp. 68-72. (LVFRP Technical Document,6)
Description:
Published
Keywords:
Oreochromis niloticus
;
Eichhornia crassipes
;
Feeding behaviour
;
Food preferences
;
Trophic levels
;
Prey selection
;
Population characteristics
;
Food
;
Food availability
Repository Name:
AquaDocs
Type:
Report Section
,
Not Known
Format:
pp. 68-72
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