Feeding of juvenile pirarucu (Arapaima gigas, Arapaimidae) in their natural environment, lago Quatro Bocas, Araguaiana-MT, Brazil

Oliveira, Valdézio de; Poleto, Stephania Luz; Vênere, Paulo César

doi:10.1590/s1679-62252005000200010

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 4 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…Despite the relatively low sample size in our study, there were significant differences between the size (age) classes studied, with adult arapaima utilising a broader range of prey resources than juveniles (Figures and ). These findings contrast with previous research that has indicated that among immature arapaima the diversity of food decreased with size (Queiroz, ) and that smaller juveniles displayed the greatest trophic plasticity (De Oliveira, Poleto, & Venere, ). Our results indicated that juvenile arapaima feed mainly on prey from lower trophic levels, while adults are able to feed across the entire trophic spectrum.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Trophic Ecology of Arapaima sp. in a ria lake—river–floodplain transition zone of the Amazon

Carvalho

Power

Forsberg

et al. 2017

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

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Neotropical floodplains are usually productive systems that are maintained by the nutrient, detritus and sediment inputs provided by the main river channel flood pulse. Ria lakes represent a special feature and habitat in the Amazonian floodplains, being characterised by a dendritic morphology and dependence on terrestrial inputs provided by an intricate stream network. Our objective was to evaluate the trophic ecology of the arapaima (Arapaima sp.). We combined stomach content analysis with measurements of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values from dorsal muscle to infer the ontogenetic changes in trophic level and isotopic niche width in floodplain and ria lakes. Arapaima diet was dominated by fish from low trophic positions. While most of the stomachs sampled in the study ria lake were full, empty stomachs predominated in samples taken in the floodplain lakes. These differences indicate that ria lakes may provide better feeding grounds for arapaima during the dry season, presumably because ria lakes are interconnected with a large stream network and the main river channel year round. Nitrogen stable isotope results further indicated an ontogenetic dietary shift in arapaima, with piscivory increasing as a function of length in both environments. Carbon stable isotope analysis indicated that energy sources used by arapaima varied by environment, with arapaima using a greater diversity of food sources in ria lakes than in floodplain lakes. Information about the main carbon sources is useful for fishery management because stakeholders may choose to conserve key vegetal groups to ensure the productivity and diversity of aquatic ecosystems.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Trophic Ecology of Arapaima sp. in a ria lake—river–floodplain transition zone of the Amazon

Carvalho

Power

Forsberg

et al. 2017

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

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“…The relatively high number of closely-spaced gill rakers in Arapaima is another indicator of a varied diet, including relatively smaller-bodied prey. Juvenile Arapaima (22-26.5 cm standard length) from the Araguaia River basin of southern Brazil were observed to feed on a variety of invertebrates together with about 53% by volume of detritus (de Oliveira et al, 2005), and ingesting such fine particles would be difficult with widely-spaced gill rakers. Pinese (1996) also concluded that functional morphology of Arapaima feeding structures was more consistent with that of an omnivore than a piscivore.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Arapaima are sometimes characterized as 'predators' (e.g., Forsberg et al, 1993) or 'top predators' in food webs, but some diet studies in Brazil (Queiroz, 2000;de Oliveira et al, 2005) suggest that the characterization of Arapaima as a top predator may be an overly simplistic assumption. Information on sources of energy assimilated by Arapaima can contribute to an understanding of their role in the ecosystem and may have implications for estimating carrying capacity of various habitats for Arapaima populations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Trophic ecology of Arapaima in Guyana: giant omnivores in Neotropical floodplains

2013

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Using stable nitrogen and carbon isotope signatures, we investigated the trophic ecology and identified potential prey fish groups supporting the giant Arapaima within floodplain lakes of the Essequibo River basin in southwestern Guyana. Morphological descriptions of feeding structures and digestive tract are presented together with preliminary data on Arapaima diets. Stable isotope results suggest that algivorous/detritivorous and omnivorous fishes contributed most to Arapaima biomass, and generally, that was consistent with what is known about Arapaima diets. Stable nitrogen isotope ratios for piscivorous fishes in these lakes were higher than nitrogen isotope ratios for Arapaima, indicating that piscivorous fishes are unlikely to constitute a major source of energy for Arapaima. This population of Arapaima has an intestine averaging 1.45 times total body length, relatively small teeth, and numerous, closely-spaced gill rakers. These morphological features, together with isotope data, support our inference that Arapaima are secondary consumers and may be better characterized as omnivores and not top predators.Utilizando firmas de isotopos estables de nitrógeno y carbón, investigamos la ecología trófica e identificamos los grupos de peces que potencialmente mantienen a la Arapaima en los lagos inundables de la cuenca del río Essequibo, al suroeste de Guyana. Presentamos descripciones morfológicas de las estructuras alimentarias y tracto digestivo de la Arapaima, conjuntamente a datos preliminares de sus dietas. Los isotopos estables sugieren que peces algívoros/detritívoros y peces omnívoros son los principales contribuyentes de la biomasa de la Arapaima, y estos resultados son compatibles con lo que se conoce actualmente de la dieta de la Arapaima. A diferencia, las proporciones del isotopo estable de nitrógeno para peces piscívoros en estos lagos resultaron más altas que los valores obtenidos para el isotopo estable de nitrógeno en la Arapaima. Esto indica que es improbable que sean peces piscívoros los que constituyan la fuente energética principal de la Arapaima. La población de Arapaima estudiada presenta un intestino que promedia 1,45 veces la longitud total del cuerpo, dientes relativamente pequeños, y agallas con branquiespinas numerosas y cercanamente espaciadas. Estas características morfológicas, conjuntamente a los datos obtenidos a través del uso de isotopos estables apoyan nuestra inferencia que la Arapaima es un consumidor secundario y que puede ser caracterizada como un pez omnívoro y no como un depredador mayor.

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“…The most likely hypothesis to explain these variable mortalities is that feeding of fry depends greatly on the productivity of ponds. As juveniles and fingerlings feeding in the wild consists mainly of zooplankton, insects, insect larvae and small gastropods (Oliveira, Poleto & Venere 2005), the main causes of mortality are probably an insufficient food availability. This hypothesis needs to be tested by a detailed study of the limnological parameters and plankton productivity in the different farming environments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive success and fry production of the paiche or pirarucu, Arapaima gigas (Schinz), in the region of Iquitos, Perú

Núñez

Chu-Koo²,

Berland

et al. 2011

Aquaculture Research

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Arapaima gigas (paiche) is the largest scaled fish species living in the Amazon basin. Its biology is both fascinating and misunderstood. In a context of overfishing, hence reduced natural populations, aquaculture of a fish with such interesting characteristics (large size, high growth rate, no intramuscular spines) is an important issue. The development of farming production would also reduce the fishing pressure on natural populations and allow re‐stocking programmes in certain areas. To determine what factors may influence the reproductive success in captivity, data from breeding reports for 2007–2010 were collected among fish farmers in the region of Iquitos. In parallel, we carried out physicochemical measurements in different ponds where these paiches breed, and conducted personal interviews about the general fish management conditions. The results show that reproduction occurs throughout the year but with a higher intensity during the rainy season. It also highlights farms that have performed much better than others, but no single factor except feeding level has been clearly associated with reproductive success. The environmental control of reproduction in paiche, therefore, remains partly mysterious. To deepen this study, we recommend the systematic sexing of breeders, extending reproductive behavioural studies, and examining the limnological factors involved in fry mortality.

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Feeding of juvenile pirarucu (Arapaima gigas, Arapaimidae) in their natural environment, lago Quatro Bocas, Araguaiana-MT, Brazil

Cited by 17 publications

References 4 publications

Trophic Ecology of Arapaima sp. in a ria lake—river–floodplain transition zone of the Amazon

Trophic Ecology of Arapaima sp. in a ria lake—river–floodplain transition zone of the Amazon

Trophic ecology of Arapaima in Guyana: giant omnivores in Neotropical floodplains

Reproductive success and fry production of the paiche or pirarucu, Arapaima gigas (Schinz), in the region of Iquitos, Perú

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