Feeding of introduced species of Cichla (Perciformes, Cichlidae) in Volta Grande reservoir, River Grande (MG/SP)

Abstract

Both species studied, Cichla cf. ocellaris and Cichla monoculus, fed mainly on fish, the first on Cichla spp., Plagioscion squamosissimus, and Tilapia rendalli, and the second, Cichla monoculus, on Cichla spp. Both diets indicated a strong correlation among the food items. Remarkable ontogenetic change was noted in both species diet: the young fed on crustaceans and insects while the adults fed mainly on fishes. The species studied, which are highly adapted to a brief life span, cause serious damage to the fish communities by predation, competition, and cascade effects throughout the whole trophic chain.Key words: feeding, Cichla, tucunaré, reservoir, introduction, Rio Grande. RESUMOAlimentação de espécies introduzidas de Cichla (Perciformes, Cichlidae) no reservatório de Volta Grande, Rio Grande (MG/SP)A alimentação de Cichla cf. ocellaris e Cichla monoculus consistiu principalmente de peixes. Cichla cf. ocellaris alimentou-se de Cichla spp. (tucunaré), Plagioscion squamosissimus (corvina) e Tilapia rendalli (tilápia), enquanto Cichla monoculus alimentou-se de Cichla spp. As duas dietas foram analisadas e mostraram correlação entre os itens alimentares, ou seja, as dietas são iguais. Houve notória mudança ontogenética na dieta das duas espécies, sendo que os jovens se alimentaram com crustáceos e insetos e os adultos, principalmente com peixes. A introdução desses predadores altamente adaptados e de rápida proliferação causa sérios danos a essas comunidades ícticas pela predação, pela competição e pelos efeitos em cascata na cadeia trófica.Palavras-chave: alimentação, Cichla, tucunaré, reservatório, introdução, Rio Grande.

Does the oscillation of the water volume of the reservoir influence in the same way in fish diet?

“…Studies have been described C. monoculus in a reservoir environment as piscivorous species expert (Gomiero & Braga, 2004;Novaes et al, 2004;Capra & Bennemann, 2009). Concerning P. squamosissimus, the species has been documented with great trophic and opportunistic plasticity (Santos et al, 2014;Ferreira Filho et al, 2014).…”

Feeding habits of the ichthyofauna in a protected area in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil

“…malabaricus exhibited ontogenetic differences, with the occurrence of insects in the stomachs of the juveniles and fish in those of the adults, being this a common pattern for piscivorous species (Lowe-McConnell 1999, Gomiero & Braga 2004a. Hoplias malabaricus is a mid-water fish that captures preys by ambush (Casatti et al 2001), and its abundance is correlated with the aquatic vegetation, puddles, muddy substratum, and prey density (Mazzoni & Iglesias-Rios 2002).…”

Feeding patterns, trophic structure and damming rivers effect: studies applied in freshwater environments in the Brazilian semi-arid region

“…malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), native species of the semi-arid region, in the Santa Cruz (Oliveira et al 2016b) and Pau de Ferros reservoirs (Oliveira et al 2016a), and Cichla monoculus (Spix and Agassiz, 1831) in the Santa Cruz reservoir (Oliveira et al 2016b). The studies on the food habit of C. monoculus in dammed environments have recorded the diet of specie as specialized fish-eating (Gomiero and Braga 2004;Novaes et al 2004;Capra and Bennemann 2009). …”