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Transformation of food in the fish Megalops cyprinoides

I. Influence of quality of food

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Abstract

Comparative studies on feeding, digestion, absorption and conversion have been made in the fish Megalops cyprinoides fed with mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis, and prawn, Metapenaeus monoceros, (Pandian, 1967). Feeding as well as digestion rates are faster in individuals fed with Gambusia than in those fed with prawn. The extent of the differences in food intake is more pronounced in smaller individuals than in larger ones. The prawn exoskeleton prolongs the duration of digestion and thus further reduces rate and amount of food intake. Changes in food quality do not affect absorption efficiency. Both, rate and efficiency of food conversion, are higher in M. cyprinoides fed with Gambusia than with prawn.

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Author notes

  1. T. J. Pandian

    Present address: Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Meeresstation, Helgoland, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Laboratory, University of Madrae, Madras, India

    T. J. Pandian

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  1. T. J. Pandian
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communicated by O. Kinne, Hamburg

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Pandian, T.J. Transformation of food in the fish Megalops cyprinoides . Marine Biol. 1, 60–64 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346696

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346696

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