The diet of clown knife fish Chitala chitala (Hamilton–Buchanan) an endangered notopterid from different wild population (India)

Abstract

A stomach content analysis of an endangered clownknife fish Chitala chitala (Hamilton - Buchanan) from different wild population indicated that this species was primarily a predatory and carnivorous in nature, indicating differences in the diet in different wild populations. An increase in feeding activity was observed from February to May (premonsoon) which was reduced during June to September (monsoon) coinciding with the spawning season of this species in most of the sites . The study confirmed relatively unspecialized diet composition of C. chitala with ability to withstand in respect to availability of food items in different aquatic habitat. The paper provides basic information on feeding index, index of preponderance, trophic ecology, and feeding strategies which could be useful for stock enhancementand aquaculture of this new potential candidate species.