Food and Feeding Habits of the Mola Carplet Amblypharyngodon mola (Hamilton, 1822) in Rice Field Ecosystem with Consideration of Water Quality Parameters

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted in the Agronomy field laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during May 1999 to August 1999 to reveal the food and feeding habits of Amblypharyngodon mola in the rice field ecosystem. Percentage of frequency of occurrence and percentage in number methods were used for the qualitative and quantitative estimation of plankton population. Results showed that, during the present study, the water quality parameters were within the suitable range for optimal fish growth and plankton population was abundant in the water of the rice plots. Gut content analysis of A. mola revealed a sum of 32 genera of phytoplankton belonging to Chlorophyceae (17), Euglenophyceae (2), Cyanophyceae (7) and Bacillariophyceae (6) and 8 genera of zooplankton under Rotifera (3), Cladocera (2) and Copepoda (3). In general, Navicula, Fragilaria, Chlorella, Chrysococcus, Closterium, Oscillatoria and Gomphosphaeria were found abundant both in the water of the rice plots and in the gut contents of A. mola indicating that, these genera are preferred food of this fish in the rice field ecosystem. Gut content analysis also exposed that, phytoplankton was the major food item constituting 94.38% of the gut contents’ composition of A. mola whereas zooplankton comprised only 5.62%. The results of this study conclude that, the A. mola is planktivorous in nature, feeding mostly on phytoplankton and could be a suitable species for integrated rice-fish farming.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on.v11i1.8245 Our Nature Vol.11(1) 2013: 61-75

Scanning electron microscopic and histological studies of the buccal cavity of a phytoplanktivorous small freshwater fish, Amblypharyngodon mola

“…Besides Chlorophyceae, the fish also feeds on Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, and Euglenophyceae (Mamun, Tareq, & Azadi, 2004;Mondal et al, 2013;Nandi & Saikia, 2015;Suresh, Biswas, Vinci, Mitra, & Mukherjee, 2007). With this information on food and feeding of A. mola, it is not known whether it feeds passively through filter feeding or passionately through gustatory or sensory judgment.…”

“…Nandi and Saikia (2015) worked on the feeding behavior of A. mola and revealed that the fish is herbivorous in nature, and feeds mainly on phytoplankton especially Chlorophyceae (Nandi & Saikia, 2015). Besides Chlorophyceae, the fish also feeds on Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, and Euglenophyceae (Mamun, Tareq, & Azadi, 2004; Mondal et al, 2013; Nandi & Saikia, 2015; Suresh, Biswas, Vinci, Mitra, & Mukherjee, 2007). With this information on food and feeding of A. mola , it is not known whether it feeds passively through filter feeding or passionately through gustatory or sensory judgment.…”

Diet and feeding ecology of black-barred halfbeak Hemiramphus far (Forsskal, 1775) (Hemiramphidae) from Karachi coast of Pakistan

“…Species specific information of feeding ecology is still rare. In fisheries management and aquaculture practices, food and feeding habits of fishes have great importance [6] for knowing the population level, growth rate and condition of fishes, which helps the fish farmers to have the clear idea about fish dietary requirements to reduce intra-specific and inter-specific competition of fishes in the habitat [7,8]. Moreover, data on the feeding habits of marine fishes, such as the predatory-prey relationship are very helpful in the ecosystem [9].…”

Size‐selective feeding on phytoplankton by two morpho‐groups of the small freshwater fishAmblypharyngodon mola

“…Mondol et al . () recorded Chlorophyceae followed by Bacillariophyceae as the dominant and preferred food groups of A. mola in rice fields. More interesting are the common occurrences of the small and colonial forms of phytoplankton belonging to Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae in the gut of A. mola, which indicate the non‐generalist and specialist feeding nature of the fish.…”