Food and Feeding Habits of Oreochromis Niloticus in Lower River Benue, Makurdi

Abstract

This study investigated the food and feeding habits of Oreochromis niloticus in the lower River Benue to determine the diet composition in the stomach of O. niloticus Fift samples of the species were collected, and their stomach contents were analyzed by frequency of occurrence, numerical and volumetric methods. The IRI (Index of Relative Importance) was used to determine the stomach contents. The results showed that green algae are the most important food item in the diet of O. niloticus with an IRI value of 22.61%. Other plant-based foods that make up a significant proportion of the diet include plant tissues (10.19%) and plant seeds (9.26%). The species have a moderate to high overlap in their consumption of certain food items such as rotifers (DOI = 0.83, sig = 0.03*), desmids (DOI = 0.67, sig = 0.05*), and snails (DOI = 0.51, sig = 0.05*). Generally, O. niloticus exhibited omnivorous feeding habits in their diet from the Lower River Benue. It is possible to conclude that food and feeding habits of O. niloticus influenced by seasons, and fish sizes from Lower River Benue. Therefore, water buffer zone management is needed to improve the food and feeding habits of this fish for the better sustainable utilization.