Food and Feeding Habits of Gerres filamentosus

Abstract

Study on the food and feeding habits of Gerres filamentosus showed that it is an omnivore, showing more preference towards animal materials as food. Presence of sand and mud in the gut content indicates the bottom feeding habit of the species subsisting mainly on crustaceans, tunicates, polychaetes, filamentous algae, diatoms, molluscan shell, fish scales and miscellaneous items. Analysis was carried out by using both occurrence and volumetric methods. Index of preponderance worked out for Gerres filamentosus showed that crustaceans were the dominant items that contributed 27% of the total gut content on both qualitative and quantitative basis. There was no appreciable difference in the intensity of feeding between males and females. Twelve percent of the guts examined was three-fourth full, 20% half full, 36% empty, 30% one-fourth full and 2% contained full stomachs. Feeding index in relation to maturity stages depicted that in the third stage, the fishes showed more feeding intensity.