Abstract
The diet of the brackish water tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron is studied in various riverine and lacustrine systems of the Bia River basin (Côte d'Ivoire). Comparison of the diet between sampling sites (upper course, lower course and man-made Lake Ayame) shows significant differences. In the man-made lake, prey described as preferential include Asterionella (Bacillariophyceae) and Bosmina(Cladocera). In the lower course, the preferential preys are represented by Lyngbya(Cyanophyceae) while in the upper course Lyngbya and chironomid larvae are preferential. These differences are related to the altered environmental conditions generated by the construction of the dam on the Bia river main stream. In the man-made lake, there is no shift in diet either with the seasons (dry and rainy seasons) or with size.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bowen, S. H. & B. R. Allanson, 1982. Behavioral and trophic plasticity of juvenile Tilapia mossambica in utilization of the unstable littoral habitat. Envir. Biol. Fishes 7: 357–362.
Compère, P., 1974. Algues de la région du lac Tchad. II–Cyanophycées. Cah. Orstom, sér. Hydrobiol., VIII: 165–198.
Dussart, B. H., 1980. Copépodes. In Durand, J. R. & C. Lévêque (eds), Flore et Faune Aquatiques de l'Afrique Sahelo-Soudanienne, Tome I. ORSTOM, Paris: 333–356.
Dussart, B. H., 1989. Crustacés copépodes calanoïdes des eaux intérieures africaines. Int. J. Crust. Res. 15: 1–205.
Falk, T. M., G. G. Teugels, E. K. Abban, W. Villwock & Renwrantz L., 2000. Morphometric and allozyme variation in the black-chinned tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron (Perciformes, Cichlidae), with a revision of the subspecies complex. J. nat. Hist. 34: 1849–1863.
Getachew, T. & C. H. Fernando, 1989. The food habits of an herbivorous fish (Oreochromis niloticus Linn.) in Lake Awasa, Ethiopia. Hydrobiologia 174: 195–200.
Gourène, G., G. G. Teugels, B. Hugueny & D. F. E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1999. Evaluation de la diversité ichtyologique d'un bassin ouest africain après la construction d'un barrage. Cybium 23: 147–160.
Hureau, J. C., 1970. Biologie comparée de quelques poissons antarctiques (Nototheniidae). Bull. Inst. Océanogr. Monaco 68: 1–250.
Hyslop, E. J., 1980. Stomach content analysis, a review of methods and their application. J. Fish. Biol. 17: 411–430.
Iltis, A., 1980. Les algues. In Durand, J. R. & C. Lévêque (eds), Flore et Faune Aquatiques de l'Afrique Sahelo-Soudanienne, Tome I. ORSTOM, Paris: 9–61
Koné, T. & G. G. Teugels, 1999. Données sur la reproduction d'un tilapia estuarien isolé dans un lac de barrage ouest africain (rivière Bia; Côte d'Ivoire). Aquat. Liv. Resour. 14: 289–293.
Lauzanne, L., 1988. Les habitudes alimentaires des poissons d'eau douce africains. In Lévêque, C., M. N. Bruton & G. W Ssentongo (eds), Biologie et Écologie des Poissons d'Eau Douce Africains. O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris: 221–242.
Lowe-McConnell, R. H., 1979. Ecological aspects of seasonality in fish of tropical Waters. Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond. 44: 219–241.
Mitrovic, S.M., L. C. Bowling & R. T. Buckney, 2001. Responses of phytoplankton to in-situ nutrient enrichment; Potential influence on species dominance in a river. Internat. Rev. Hydrobiol. 86: 285–298
Morshuizen, L. D., A. K. Whitfield & A. W. Paterson, 1996. Influence of freshwater flow regime on fish assemblages in the Great Fish River and estuary. Sth. Afr. J. aquat. Sci. 22: 52–61.
Moss, B., 1991. Ecology of Freshwaters, Man and Medium: Second Edition. Blackwell Scientific publications. London. 417 pp.
Mwebaza-Ndawula, L., 1994. Changes in relative abundance of zooplankton in northern Lake Victoria, East Africa. Hydrobiologia 272: 259–264.
Nwadiaro, C. S. & R. O. O. Ayodele, 1992. Contribution to the Biology of Sarotherodon melanotheron (Rüppell, 1851) (Perciformes, Cichlidae) in the New Calabar River (Nigeria). Acta Hydrobiol. 34: 287–300.
Ouattara, A., 2000. Prémières Données Systématiques et Écologiques du Phytoplancton du Lac d'Ayamé (Côte d'Ivoire). Ph.D. thesis, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. 181 pp.
Paugy, D., 1994. Ecologie des poissons tropicaux d'un cours d'eau temporaire (Baoulé, haut bassin du Sénégal au Mali): adaptation au milieu et plasticité du régime alimentaire. Rev. Hydrobiol. trop. 27: 157–172.
Paugy, D. & C. Lévêque, 1999. Régimes alimentaires et réseaux trophiques. In Lévêque, C. & D. Paugy (eds), Les Poissons des Eaux Continentales Africaines: Diversité, Écologie, Utilisation par l'Homme. IRD, Paris: 167–190.
Pauly, D., 1976. The biology, fishery and potential for aquaculture of Tilapia melanotheron in a small west African lagoon. Aquaculture 7: 33–49.
Rosecchi, E. & Y. Nouaze, 1987. Comparaison de cinq indices utilisés dans l'analyse des contenus stomacaux. Rev. Trav. Inst. Pêches Marit. 49: 111–123.
Simenstad, C. A., 1979. Fish food habits analysis. Princ. Invest. Rep. Assess. Alaskan Cont. Shelf: 441–450.
Spataru, P. & M. Zorn, 1978. Food and feeding habit of Tilapia aurea (Steindachner) (Cichlidae) in Lake Kinneret (Israel). Aquaculture 13: 67–79.
Teugels, G. G. & D. F. E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1992. Cichlidae. In Lévêque, C., D. Paugy & G. G. Teugels (eds), Faune des Poissons d'Eaux Douces et Saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Tome II. O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris & M.R.A.C., Tervuren: 714–779.
Trewavas, E. & G. G. Teugels, 1991. Sarotherodon. In Daget, J., J. P. Gosse, G. G. Teugels & D. F. E Thys van den Audenaerde (eds), Check-List of the Freshwater Fishes of Africa CLOFFA 4. M.R.A.C., Tervuren, I.S.N.B., Bruxelles & O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris: 425–437.
Tudorancea, C., C. H. Fernando & J. C. Paggi, 1988. Food and feeding ecology of Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1978) juveniles in Lake Awassa (Ethiopia). Arch. Hydrobiol. 79: 267–289.
Ugwumba, A. A. A. & A. Adebisi, 1992. The food and feeding ecology of Sarotherodon melanotheron (Ruppell) in a small freshwater reservoir in Ibadan, Nigeria. Arch. Hydrobiol. 124: 367–382.
Wetzel, R. G., 1983. Limnology. 2nd edn. CBS College Publishing, Philadelphia: 767 pp.
Winemiller, K. O., 1987. Feeding and reproductive biology of the currito, Hoplosternum littorale, in the Venezuelan llanos with comments on the possible function of the enlarged male pectoral spines. Env. Biol. Fishes 20: 219–227.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kone, T., Teugels, G.G. Food habits of brackish water tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron in riverine and lacustrine environments of a West African coastal basin. Hydrobiologia 490, 75–85 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023410528580
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023410528580