Feeding dynamics of Cichla kelberi Kullander & Ferreira, 2006 introduced into an artificial lake in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the seasonally of the diet of Cichla kelberi in an artificial lake in Leme-SP, determining the food items and their relation to the sex and gonadal maturity of the fish sampled. The diet of C. kelberi presents a dynamic in three different periods: winter months were characterized by low feeding activity and a high concentration of undetermined fish; increase in feeding activity occurred in the spring, with Tilapia sp. being the dominant food item; and a high rate of cannibalism was observed in the summer and early fall. The plasticity in the composition of the diet was marked by quantity of prey available during the different periods of the year, and the reproductive period.O objetivo desse estudo foi caracterizar sazonalmente a dieta de Cichla kelberi em um lago artificial em Leme-SP, determinando os itens alimentares e as relações com os sexos e com a maturação gonadal dos exemplares amostrados. A dieta de C. kelberi apresenta uma dinâmica em três diferentes períodos: os meses de inverno foram caracterizados por baixa atividade alimentar e alta concentração de peixes indeterminados, durante a primavera ocorreu um aumento na atividade alimentar, sendo Tilapia sp. o item alimentar dominante e durante o verão e início do outono foi evidenciada alta taxa de canibalismo. A plasticidade na composição da dieta foi marcada pela quantidade de presas disponíveis durante os períodos do ano e pelo período reprodutivo.

Feeding and reproductive ecology of Cichla piquiti Kullander & Ferreira, 2006 within its native range, Lajeado reservoir, rio Tocantins basin

“…A diverse diet has been reported in other Amazonian systems, with predominance of fish and low rates of cannibalism (Jepsen et al, 1997;Winemiller, 2001;Montaña et al, 2011). When Cichla is non-native, however, its diet is poor and based on cannibalism, invertebrates and a few non-native fish (Fugi et al, 2008;Capra & Benneman, 2009;Villares Junior & Gomiero, 2010;Santos et al, 2011). In Lajeado reservoir, cannibalism and non-fish resources summed less than 1% of all volume ingested.…”

“…Basic ecological aspects (e.g., feeding, reproduction) have been studied in hydrographic basins where Cichla is nonnative, particularly in the rio Paraná basin (e.g., Fugi et al, 2008;Souza et al, 2008;Gomiero et al, 2009;Vieira et al, 2009;Espínola et al, 2010;Villares Junior & Gomiero, 2010;Luiz et al, 2011;Santos et al, 2011). This information is important to clarify issues related to impact and invasion, but has little significance for the understanding of colonization, dynamics and persistence of native populations in Amazonian reservoirs.…”

“…For example, in natural fluvial environments, reproduction is usually constrained by water level variation (Jepsen et al, 1999;Muñoz et al, 2006), while feeding is diverse and essentially piscivorous (Jepsen et al, 1997;Winemiller, 2001;Montaña et al, 2011). In non-Amazonian reservoirs, reproduction is constrained by temperature (Souza et al, 2008;Gomiero et al, 2009;Vieira et al, 2009;Pelicice et al, 2015) and diet is poor and based on cannibalism, invertebrates and non-native fish (Fugi et al, 2008;Capra & Benneman, 2009;Villares Junior & Gomiero, 2010;Santos et al, 2011). In Amazonian reservoirs, however, feeding and breeding patterns may be less constrained by environmental variation, considering that seasonal variations in hydrology and temperature are small, and that prey fish (small-sized) are abundant and diverse.…”

Analysis of propagule pressure and genetic diversity in the invasibility of a freshwater apex predator: the peacock bass (genus Cichla)

“…For example, it was observed that cannibalism is more accentuated during Cichla's spawning periods and due to scarcity of alternative food items, such as small individuals of small native fish species (Gomiero & Braga, 2004;Villares Junior & Gomiero, 2010). On the other hand, low rates of cannibalism occur in natural environments and in invaded sites mainly due to high availability of prey (Resende et al, 2008;Winemiller et al, 1997;Zaret, 1977).…”