FOOD AND FEEDING HABIT OF CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL, 1822) FROM ESIN UFOT RIVER, ORON LOCAL GOVERNMENTAREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

  • 0 Review(s)

Product Category: Projects

Product Code: 00007303

No of Pages: 108

No of Chapters: 1-5

File Format: Microsoft Word

Price :

$20

ABSTRACT


The food and feeding habits of the Africa catfish, Claries gariepinus in River Esin Ufot were studied from samples caught in each month during October 2016 to September, 2017. Analysis of the stomach content (n = 340) showed that the fish ingests a variety of items of plant origin, animal origin, detritus and sand grains. The items that comprises the plant origin were algae and macrophytes whereas those of animal origin and crustacean, insects, fish, mollusks, nematodes and fish eggs. The insects ingested by the fish were most diverse as they were developmental belonging to several taxa such as Hemiptera, Diptera and Odonata. Oreochromis niloticus, was the only fish species ingested by Clarias gariepinus in the study. There were differences  in the relative importance of the various items ingested by the fish. Thus, the frequency of occurrence of insects was the highest (80.8%), and this was followed by macrophytes (6.04%)and zooplankton (59.2%), fish (26.4%) and fish eggs (14.0%). Numerically the most important food were crustacean (90.8%) followed by insects (5.31%), mollusks (0.85%) and O. niloticus (0.82%). Based on the results from frequency of occurrence and numerical abundance, crustacean zooplankton, insects and fish are considered as the major food of the studied C. gariepinus. The items of plant origin, detritus and sand grains were believed to be accidentally ingested while the fish was pursuing its prey. This shows that C. gariepinus in River Esin Ufot is considered to have a carnivorous feeding habit. The study also found size-based and seasonal  differences in the relative importance of the major food items. The frequency shows that the fish feeds progressively less on zooplantation and insects, but more of O.niloticus as it grows larger. In addition, it feeds relatively more on O.niloticus than any other major items in March through August. This is attributed to increased abundance of prey following intensive breeding in the rainy seasons (February–April and July–September). High frequencies of C gariepinus with empty stomach were recorded during the rainy seasons in which time the fish breeds intensively. This shows that at this time the fish could be engaged more in spawning than in feeding activity.





TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page                                                                                                                    i

Declaration                                                                                                                  ii

Certification                                                                                                                iii

Dedication                                                                                                                  iv

Acknowledgements                                                                                                    v

Table of Contents                                                                                                       vi

List of Tables                                                                                                              x

List of Figures                                                                                                             xi

Abstract                                                                                                                      xii

                                               

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1        Fish (Clarias gariepinus): Source of Food for Man                                       1

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                               3

1.3       Justification of the Study                                                                               4

1.4       Aim and Objectives of the Study                                                                   4

           

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1       African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822)                                      5

2.1.1    Description                                                                                                      7

2.1.2    Habits                                                                                                              8

2.1.3    Natural spawning                                                                                            8

2.1.4    Rearing                                                                                                            8

2.1.5    Hybridization                                                                                                  9

2.2       Taxonomy of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)                                        9

2.3       Infraclass – Teleostei                                                                                      10

2.4       Digestive Tract, Food  and Habits                                                                  10

2.5       Definition of the Gut and its subdivisions                                                     11

2.6       The Oro-pharyngeal Cavity                                                                            12

2.7       Microscopic Morphology                                                                                13

2.7.1.   Oesophagus                                                                                                     14

2.7.2    Stomach                                                                                                          16

2.7.3    Intestine                                                                                                          20

2.7.4    Rectum                                                                                                            21

2.7.5    Pyloric caeca                                                                                                   22

2.7.6    Ultrastructural observations                                                                            23

2.7.7    Innervations                                                                                                    26

2.7.8    Digestive enzymes                                                                                          28

2.7.9    Blood supply to the digestive tract                                                                 31

2.7.10. Gut motility                                                                                                    32

2.7.11  Ontogenetic development of teleost digestive system                                   33

 

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHOD

3.1       Study Area                                                                                                      35

3.2       Collection of Samples                                                                                     37

3.3       Biometric Data                                                                                                37

3.4      Stomach Content Examination                                                                        38

3.5       Numerical Method                                                                                          38

3.6       Frequency of Occurrence Method                                                                  38

3.7       Investigation of Size Based and Seasonal Differences in Food Habit.          39

 

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

4.1       Period/time of Fish Collection/Harvesting                                                     40

4.2       Percentage of Fish with Empty Stomach during both Seasons                      41

4.2.1    Sexual dimorphism                                                                                         42

4.3       Relative Importance of Food Items Found in the Stomach of C. gariepinus            43

4.4        Relationship between the Length of C. gariepinus and Frequency

of Occurrence of its Major Food Item                                                            44

4.5       Seasonal fluctuation of food items in the stomach of C. gariepinus.             45

4.5.1    Seasonal fluctuation in the numerical abundance of the food item                46

4.6       Monthly Distribution of Fish (O. niloticus)                                                    48

4.7       Monthly frequency of C. gariepinus with empty stomach                             49

 

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion                                                                                                       50

References                                                                                                      55

Appendices                                                                                                     89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIST OF TABLES

 

1          Fishes caught during the sampling year                                                         40

2              Relative importance of items observed in stomach content samples (n=340) of

Clarias gariepinus from River Esin Ufot, Akwa Ibom                                                                               43

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

LIST OF FIGURES

 

1                      Map of Oron showing study area                                                                   36       

 

2                      Seasonal variation in percentage of C. gariepinus from

 Esin Ufot River with empty stomachs                                               41

 

3                      Sexual dimorphism in percentage of C. gariepinus from

River Esin Ufot with empty stomach.                                                            42

 

4                      Relationship between the length of Clarias gariepinus

from River Esin Ufot and the frequency of occurrence of its

major food items                                                                                 44

 

5                      Seasonal fluctuation in the frequency of occurrence of major

food items of C. gariepinus from River Esin Ufot.                            45

 

6                      Seasonal fluctuation in the numerical abundance of (a)

zooplankton, (b) insects and (c) fish, Oreochromis niloticus in

the stomach of Clarias gariepinus from River Esin Ufot                   47

 

7                      Monthly distribution of fish (O. niloticus), from the annual

            total, ingested by Clarias gariepinus in River Esin Ufot                   48       

 

8                      Monthly frequency of Clariasgariepinus with empty

stomach from River Esin Ufot                                                            49

                                        

 

 

 

 


 


CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION


1.1        BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Fish (Clarias gariepinus): Source of Food for Man

Food is one of the basic needs of man (Pierce, 2010). Food is produced through agriculture which is the cultivation of plants and rearing of animals for man’s consumption. Since agriculture produces the food that provides the calories and nutrients essential for health and productive life, it is interlinked in many important ways to nutrition and health (Michael, 2011). Nutrients here include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oil, minerals, vitamins and water. Of these nutrients, for growth and repair of damaged tissues, it is the proteins that supply the body with amino acids necessary for plants and animals are the main source of protein although the animal sources are preferred because of the presence of essential amino acids and higher digestibility. The animal protein sources include fish, poultry, dairy, pork, snail and rabbit etc. Fishing, like other hunting activities has been a major source of food for the human race and has put an end to the unsavory outbreak of anaemia and kwashiorkor in developing countries. It accounted for half of the world total supply of animal protein (FAO, 1991; Olagunju et al., 2007). In Nigeria, fisheries play a very important role in the agricultural sector of the economy (Kudi et al., 2008). Its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose from 76.76 billion in2001 to N162.61 billion in 2005 (CBN, 2005). In Nigeria, fish is an important source of protein. It provides 40% of the dietary intake of animal protein of the average Nigerian (FDF, 1997; Sogbesan et al., 2006). According to Adekoya and Miller (2004), fish and fish products accounted for more than 60 % of the total protein consumed by adults especially in Nigerian local cities.

Amiengheme (2005) listed the importance of fish and fish products to Human

Nutrition as follows:

i.        Fish food accounts for higher nutrient greater to all terrestrial meats (beef, pork and chicken;

ii.      Fish is an excellent source of high quality animal protein and highly digestible energy;

iii.    Fish also supplies sulphur and essential amino acids such as lysine, leucine, valine and arginine. It is therefore suitable for supplementing diets of high carbohydrate contents;

iv.    Fish is also a good source of thiamine as well as an extremely rich source of (Omega–3) polysaturated fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins (A, D and E), water soluble vitamins (B complex) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine and selenium).It has a high content of polysaturated (Omega III) fatty acids, which are important in lowering blood cholesterol level and high blood pressure. It reduces the risk of sudden death from heart attacks and reduces rheumatoid arthritis. It also lowers the risk of age- related muscular degeneration and vision impairment; decreases the risk of bowel cancer and reduces insulin resistance in skeletal muscles.

Nigerians are large consumers of fish, with an annual average demand estimate at 1.4 millionmetric tonnes (Kudi et al., 2008). However a demand and supply gap of at least 0.7 millionmetric tonnes exists nationally with import making up for the short fall at a cost of 400 billion United States Dollars per year. Domestic fish production of about 0.5 million metric tonnes is supplied by artisan fishermen (85%), and fish farmers (15 %) (Adekoya and Miller, 2004; Emokaro et al. 2010). According to FAO (2000), this figure (0.7 million metric tonnes) makes Nigeria the largest importer of fish in the developing world. To take advantage of the large market created by this deficit, some Nigerians are increasing their participation in aquaculture, with many fish farmers focusing on African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, as they have been shown to have a potential market value of two to three times that of other cultivable species like Tilapia and Heterobranchus (FAO, 2000; Fafioye and Oluajo, 2005; Emokaro et al., 2010). Fish farming generates employment directly and indirectly for people involved in the value addition of processing (Olagunju et al., 2007). Aquaculture is also a ready alternative to wild fish supply because of great concern on fish depletion in the oceans due to over fishing; fish deaths caused by oil spillage and heavy metal pollution; natural disasters like Tsunami, flooding and excessive drought due to climate change (Dublin-Green et al., 1998; UNEP, 2004; Damassa, 2006; Gabriel et al., 2007; Tawari-Fufeyin et al., 2008). A survey by Addo (2005), revealed that Nigerian children below the age of 18 years, who make up about 47 % of our total population are still victims of stunting, wasting and under-weight. So with the increased establishment of aquaculture in Nigeria, it is possible to reverse this trend of malnourishment among Nigerians below the age of eighteen years.


 

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Despite the increasing interest and aquaculture in Nigeria, there is no paucity of knowledge on the basic biology of the digestive tract and feeding habits of farmed and harvested African catfish.


 

1.3       JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

 

This study of food and feeding habits of water fresh fish species is a subject of continuous research because it constitutes the basis for the development of a successful fisheries management program for capture and culture fishery. Thus in an attempt to fill this knowledge gap, a study was conducted on various aspects the biology of C. gariepinus in Esin Ufot River, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and the length-weight relationship, sex ratio, maturity and condition factor of the fish have been published earlier (Lemma et al., 2014). Also studies on stomach contents could provide useful information with regards to positioning of fishes in food web in their environment and in formulating management strategy option in multispecies fishery (Adeyemi et al., 2009).


 

1.4       AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 

Aim

 

To study the food and feeding habits of C. gariepinus in River Esin Ufot, Oron, Akwa Ibom State to contribute to the existing knowledge of the biology of the fish and also to provide information on the diets, nourishment and abundance of natural food needed by fish.

Other objectives are;

·         to find their size-based and seasonal differences in the relative importance of their food,

·         to estimate their relatively important food items, and

·         to quantitatively describe the dietary characteristics  of  Clarias  gariepinus.


Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects

FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!

+(234) 0814 780 1594

Buyers has the right to create dispute within seven (7) days of purchase for 100% refund request when you experience issue with the file received. 

Dispute can only be created when you receive a corrupt file, a wrong file or irregularities in the table of contents and content of the file you received. 

ProjectShelve.com shall either provide the appropriate file within 48hrs or send refund excluding your bank transaction charges. Term and Conditions are applied.

Buyers are expected to confirm that the material you are paying for is available on our website ProjectShelve.com and you have selected the right material, you have also gone through the preliminary pages and it interests you before payment. DO NOT MAKE BANK PAYMENT IF YOUR TOPIC IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.

In case of payment for a material not available on ProjectShelve.com, the management of ProjectShelve.com has the right to keep your money until you send a topic that is available on our website within 48 hours.

You cannot change topic after receiving material of the topic you ordered and paid for.

Ratings & Reviews

0.0

No Review Found.


To Review


To Comment