Condition Factor, Food and Feeding Habit of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Siluriformes: Bagridae) from Lower River Benue, Makurdi, Nigeria
Edem, Edem Thomas *
Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme, University of Calabar, P.M.B. 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Odey, Christopher Ogamode
Institute of Oceanography, University of Calabar, P.M.B. 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background and Objective: The feeding habit as well as the condition factor of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus from lower river Benue was studied between July 2015 and September 2015.
Materials and Methods: The natural food of the fish in the Lower River Benue was studied from stomach contents of the fish. A total of 100 stomachs were randomly examined and analyzed using two methods; the frequency of occurrence and point methods. About 92 had food items while 8 were empty. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for significant difference at 95% confidence limit in the food eaten by these species and also the degree of stomach fullness.
Results: Food items encountered using frequency of occurrence method include fish parts (47.62%), seeds (40.49%), sand/mud (30.09%), detritus (30.95%), digested food (29.76%), insect parts (27.38%), mollusk (25.00%) and algae (22.62%).
Conclusion: C. nigrodigitatus had a euryphagous food habits and based on condition factor the fish were in good health.
Keywords: Chrysichthys nigrogrodigitatus, food and feeding habits, condition factor, lower river Benue.