Food and feeding habits of Labeobarbus intermedius in the recently built Ribb Reservoir, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Food and feeding habits of Labeobarbus intermedius were studied from the newly constructed Ribb Reservoir, Ethiopia during the dry (December–March) season and wet season (June–August) of 2021. The objective of the study was to determine the diet composition, seasonal variation, and ontogenetic dietary shift in the diets of the dominant cyprinid fish in Ribb Reservoir. In this study, frequency of occurrence and volumetric analysis methods were used to present the results. From a total of 203 fish samples, 132 (65%) guts contained food items. Macrophytes (29.4%), phytoplankton (27.2%), detritus (14.8%), and insects (13.6%) were the major food items in the diets volumetrically. During the dry season, L. intermedius was mainly dependent on phyto-plankton (58.2%), insects (15.2%), and zooplankton (13.7%) volumetrically. Whereas, macrophytes (50.3%) and detritus (23.3%) were the dominant food items in the wet season. The frequency occurrence and volumetric contribution of the diets of L. inter-medius varied significantly ( χ 2 test, p < 0.05) between seasons. Schoener’s diet overlap index revealed a slight ontogenetic dietary shift in the diets of L. intermedius . While insects, nematodes, and zooplankton were the main diets of small-sized L. intermedius , macrophytes and detritus were ingested by large-sized L. intermedius . Generally, L. intermedius fed both plant and animal-origin food items and is considered an omnivorous feeder in Ribb Reservoir.