Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Surfacing activity and food utilisation in the obligatory air-breathing fish ophiocephalus striatus as a function of body weight

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Reared in cylindrical aquaria containing different depths of water (2.5 to 70 cm) the obligatory air-breathing fish Ophiocephalus striatus, belonging to different weight classes (0.1, 0.75, 10, 20 and 41 g), was forced to swim vertically a longer or shorter distance per surfacing. Surfacing frequency was a depth-dependent, activity in individuals weighing less than 20 g in all weight classes, the frequency was nearly 2 times more in the series fed ad libitum on fish muscle, than in the one where the fish were starved. Owing to the sustained surfacing activity and the consequent fatigue, the test individuals ‘hung’ to the surface for a definite period. Neither frequency nor duration of hanging was depth-dependent. Mean hanging durations for the feeding series were 1.1, 3.8, 5.9, 7.9 and 8.8 hr/day in the 0.1, 0.75, 10, 20 and 41 g weight classes, respectively; the corresponding values for the starving series were 1.3, 15.0, 13.0, 12.7 and 12.8 hr/day. The distance swum by the feeding fish increased from 57 to 681 m/day and from 61 to 507 m/day in the 0.1 and 41 g individuals exposed to the minimum and maximum aquarium depths. Feeding rate, which was a depth-dependent activity, decreased from 280 to 113 g cal/g live fish/day with increasing weight. Rate and efficiency of conversion also decreased with increasing body weight; in larger fish conversion was dependent on volume rather than on depth of the aquarium. O2 uptake of feeding fish was about 6 times higher than the starving ones of the tested weight classes at different aquarium depths.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beamish, F. W. H. 1974. Apparent specific dynamic action of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 31: 1763–1769.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. E. 1957. Experimental studies on growth, Vol. I, pp. 361–400 in M. E. Brown (Editor). The Physiology of Fishes. Academic Press, New York.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Das, B. K. 1927. The bionomics of certain air-breathing fishes of India, together with an account of the development of their air-breathing organs. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London 216: 183–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Roth, G. C. 1973. Effects of temperature and light on airbreathing behaviour of the spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus. Ohio J. Sci. 73: 34–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelmann, F. 1966. Energetics, terrestrial field studies and animal productivity. Adv. ecol. Res. 3: 73–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerking, S. D. 1955. Influence of rate of feeding and body composition on protein metabolism of bluegill sunfish. Physiol. Zool. 28: 267–282.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gerking, S. D. 1971. Influence of rate of feeding and body weight on protein metabolism of bluegill sunfish. Physiol. Zool. 44: 9–19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hatanaka, M., Kosaka, M. & Sato, Y. 1956. Growth and food consumption of plaice. I. Limanda yokohamae (Gowther). Tohoku J. Agri. Res. 1: 151–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maynard, A. L. & Loosli, K. J. 1962. Animal Nutrition. p. 533. McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzel, D. W. 1960. Utilisation of food by a Bermuda reef fish, Epinephelus guttatus. J. Cons. Perm. Int. Explor. Mar. 25: 216–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paloheimo, J. E. & Dickie, L. M. 1966a. Food and growth of fishes. II. Effects of food and temperature on the relation between metabolism and body weight. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 23: 869–908.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paloheimo, J. E. & Dickie, L. M. 1966b. Food and growth of fishes. III. Relations among food, body size and growth efficiency. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 23: 1209–1248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandian, T. J. 1967. Intake, digestion, absorption and conversion of food in the fishes Megalops cyprinoides and Ophiocephalus striatus. Mar. Biol. 1: 16–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandian, T. J. & Vivekanandan, E. 1976. Effects of feeding and starvation on growth and swimming activity in an obligatory air-breathing fish. Hydrobiologia 49: 33–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petrusewicz, K. & MacFadyen, A. 1970. Production of terrestrial animals. IBP Handbook, No. 13, p. 190, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponniah, A. G. & Pandian, T. J. 1977. Surfacing activity and food utilisation in the air-breathing fish Polyacanthus cupanus exposed to constant pO2. Hydrobiologia (in press).

  • Ricker, W. E. 1946. Production and utilisation of fish populations. Ecol. Monogr. 16: 373–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, H. W. 1935. The metabolism of lungfish. II. Effects of feeding on meat in the metabolic rate. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 6: 335–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, D. J. & Brafield, A. D. 1972. The energetics of feeding, metabolism and growth of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). J. Anim. Ecol. 41: 699–718.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vivekanandan, E. 1976. Effects of feeding rate on swimming activity and growth in the tropical fish Ophiocephalus striatus. J. Fish Biol. 8: 321–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vivekanandan, E. 1977a. Effects of the pO2 on swimming activity and food utilisation in Ophiocephalus striatus. Hydrobiologia 52: 165–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vivekanandan, E. 1977b. Ontogenetic development of surfacing behaviour in the obligatory air-breathing fish Channa (Ophiocephalus) striatus. Physiol. Behav. (in press).

  • Vivekanandan, E. & Pandian, T. J. 1977. Surfacing activity and food utilisation in a tropical air-breathing fish exposed to different temperatures. Hydrobiologia (in press).

  • Warren, C. E. & Davis, G. E. 1967. Laboratory studies in the feeding, bioenergetics and growth of fish. p. 175–214 in S. D. Gerking (Editor). The biological basis of freshwater fish production. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weatherley, A. H. 1972. Growth and Ecology of fish production. p. 293. McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. E. Vivekanandan

    Present address: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Post Bag No. 1912, Cochin, 682018, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, Madurai University, 625021, Madurai, India

    E. Vivekanandan

Authors
  1. E. Vivekanandan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This paper is part of a thesis submitted by the author (from A.P.A. College, PALNI) to Madurai University in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Ph. D. degree. Contribution No. 12 under a research scheme granted to Dr. T. J. Pandian by the UGC (New Delhi). The author is grateful to Dr. T. J. Pandian for valuable guidance, financial support and encouragements.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vivekanandan, E. Surfacing activity and food utilisation in the obligatory air-breathing fish ophiocephalus striatus as a function of body weight. Hydrobiologia 55, 99–112 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00021051

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00021051

Keywords

Search

Navigation