FEEDING HABITS AND FOOD PREFERENCES OF Auchenoglanis occidentalalis FROM TAGWAI LAKE, MINNA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The temporal variation in the food, feeding habits and food preference of Auchenoglanis occidentalis from Tagwai Lake, Minna, Nigeria were investigated from January 2013 to December 2014 using the frequency of occurrence method. In 2013, seven different food items were found in the diet namely; insect parts, plant materials, parts fish parts, protozoans, phytoplankton, sand particles and crustaceans. The same trend was observed in 2014. Insect materials were fed upon the most irrespective of year and season of sampling. When a comparison was done for both years using a T-test, the result revealed that insect parts valued about 24.00±2.00 in 2013 which was the highest value recorded while parts of fish had the highest frequency of occurrence in 2014 (22.50±3.50). The frequency of occurrence of protozoan for 2013 was 8.00±2.00 while that of 2014 was 11.00±2.00. From both years it is seen that although Auchenoglanis occidentalis from Tagwai Lake Minna is an omnivore, which fed on both plant and animal materials, it had tendency to feed more on animal materials.