Introduction

INTRODUCTION

  • Aquatic animals require food to supply the energy that they need for movement and all other activities in which they engage, and the building blocks for growth. Fish can be grouped into four main categories, according to the type of food they prefer under natural conditions namely, herbivores, detritus feeders, carnivores and omnivores.
    • Herbivores feed directly on the green plants which are the primary source of all energy. Herbivorous fish and shrimp may feed on microscopic plants – smaller algae or phytoplankton or on the large macroscopic plants in the pond.
    • Detritus feeders feed mainly on the dead organic matter and associated living organisms at the bottom of the pond. Much of their food consists of the fungi and bacteria concerned with the break down of dead plant and animal matter. The pond detritus may originate from within the pond or from outside (dead leaves from trees)
    • Carnivorous fish and shrimp feed on other usually smaller animals. They feed upon microscopic animals that are present in the water, i.e., zooplankton and larger animals include insects and their larvae, frogs, snails, mollusks and other fish and crustaceans.
    • Omnivores feed on both plant, detritus and animal sources of food, depending on what is available.
    • The food habits of the aquatic animals vary, not only between species but also according to the age and environmental changes.
    • Cultured fish are often classified according to the trophic niche they occupy in a water body as 
      • Plankton eating surface feeders, Eg. Catla catla (Catla)
      • Column or Mid feeders, Eg. Labeo rohita (Rohu)
      • Bottom feeders, Eg. Cirrhinus mrigala (Mrigal) 
Last modified: Friday, 16 September 2011, 9:16 AM