The Impact of Striped Mullet, Mugil cephalus on Natural Food and Phytoplankton Selectivity at Different Feeding Regimes in Earthen Fishponds


	Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science
	Year: 2006 \| Volume: 1 \| Issue: 1 \| Page No.: 87-96 DOI: 10.3923/jfas.2006.87.96

The Impact of Striped Mullet, Mugil cephalus on Natural Food and Phytoplankton Selectivity at Different Feeding Regimes in Earthen Fishponds

H.I. El-Marakby , A.M. Eid , A.E. Abdelghany and M. Abdel-Tawwab

Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the ability of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) to select phytoplankton at different feeding regimes. Striped mullet (35.1±1 g) was stocked at a rate of 1 fish/m² for 14 weeks. The first treatment (control) received only organic and inorganic fertilizers. The second treatment (T₁) received organic and inorganic fertilizers as in the first treatment and supplemental feed at a rate of 3% of fish body weight (bw). The third treatment (T₂) received only supplemental feed at a rate of 5% of fish bw. Each treatment was represented by three replicates. The maximum final weight was obtained at T₁ and T₂ without significant differences, while the minimum one was obtained at control treatment. The fresh weight of stomach content in control treatment was the highest one. Phytoplankton occurrence in gut content of striped mullet was higher in control sharing 70-80% of total gut content, while it was significantly lower in T₂ (p<0.05). Detritus consisted mainly of scraps of macrophytes, organic particles including feed particles and mud. The composition percentage of detritus in fish stomach was significantly differed and ranked as T₂>T₁>control. Zooplankton sharing to gut content was generally small in T₂ and the highest content was obtained at control. Whenever zooplankton occurred, it was not exceed 10.0% of the total components in fish stomach, and it consisted of parts of animals especially cladocera, copepoda and rotifers. Sometimes, parts of insects and zoobenthos were found. The main phytoplankton genera found in fish stomach are belonged to Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Euglenophyceae. Bacillariophyceae represented the main phytoplankton division, while Cyanobacteria followed by Chlorophyceae were the less abundant divisions at all treatments. Euglenophyceae represented moderate abundance in fish stomach content. Striped mullet selected Bacillariophyceae and Euglenophyceae at all treatments, meanwhile Cyanobacteria was sometimes selected at T₁ and T₂. Chlorophyceae was not selected at all and it was gut entered with water and mechanically swallowed together with other foodstuffs. This result indicates that striped mullet naturally does not consume food at random but have the ability to select and choose the preferred foodstuff and could use supplemental feed efficiently.

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How to cite this article:

H.I. El-Marakby , A.M. Eid , A.E. Abdelghany and M. Abdel-Tawwab , 2006. The Impact of Striped Mullet, Mugil cephalus on Natural Food and Phytoplankton Selectivity at Different Feeding Regimes in Earthen Fishponds. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 1: 87-96.

DOI: 10.3923/jfas.2006.87.96

URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=jfas.2006.87.96

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