Food and Feeding Habits of Three Ecologically Important Fish Species in Lake Hawassa, Ethiopia
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Abstract
Understanding the feeding behavior of fish species is crucial for evaluating ecosystem health, trophic relationships, and resource availability in aquatic environments. This study investigated the feeding habits of three fish species in Lake Hawassa, Ethiopia, during two rainy and two dry months in 2024: the straightfine barb [Enteromius paludinosus (Peters, 1852)], the stone-lapping minnow [Garra quadrimaculata (Rüppell, 1835)], and the black lampeye [Aplocheilichthys antinorii (Vinciguerra, 1883)]. A total of 1,795 specimens were collected using beach seines and hand nets. Gut content analysis was conducted using frequency of occurrence, volumetric contribution, and index of preponderance methods. A high degree of dietary overlap (C>60%) was observed across size classes in all species, with some exceptions. Seasonal variation in prey availability was reflected in the frequency and volume of consumed items. E. paludinosus consumed seven main prey categories, including phytoplankton, detritus, macrophytes, zooplankton, fish eggs, and nematodes. G. quadrimaculata ingested all these items, while A. antinorii consumed all except nematodes. Phytoplankton dominated the diet of all three species, with the highest frequency of occurrence (87.17%, 63.18%, and 84.10%), volumetric contribution (84.24%, 46.38%, and 59.88%), and index of preponderance (85.94%, 47.71%, and 63.16%) for E. paludinosus, G. quadrimaculata, and A. antinorii, respectively. Seasonal variations in diet composition were significant, while intraspecific dietary overlap remained consistently high (C>60%) across size classes. The results indicate that all three species exhibit omnivorous feeding habits.
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