Prasad G, Anvar Ali P H
Department of Zoology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Fish Physiol Biochem. 2008 Dec;34(4):385-9. doi: 10.1007/s10695-007-9198-6. Epub 2008 Feb 5.
The diet composition of fingerlings and adults of Horabagrus brachysoma, a threatened, freshwater catfish, endemic to South India, collected from the Periyar River of Kerala in south India was studied using standard methods. The results of the stomach content analysis revealed that the species is an omnivore, predominantly feeding on animal matter in the young stage and plant matter in the adult stage. Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that H. brachysoma collected from Periyar River is a benthophagic omnivore and that adults prefer dietary fractions of plant origin over animal tissues. An ontogenic diet shift from carnivorous to more pronounced omnivorous nature is exhibited by the fish. The fish is adapted for a wide spectrum of feeding habits including the ability to digest all major types of nutrients and these findings will help to formulate a more economically viable and nutritionally balanced diet for the artificial rearing of this cultivable catfish.
使用标准方法，对采自印度南部喀拉拉邦佩里亚尔河的濒危淡水鲶鱼——短体霍氏鲶幼鱼和成鱼的饮食组成进行了研究。胃内容物分析结果显示，该物种为杂食性动物，幼鱼阶段主要以动物性食物为食，成鱼阶段则以植物性食物为主。基于本研究的结果，可以得出结论：从佩里亚尔河采集的短体霍氏鲶是底栖杂食性动物，成鱼更喜欢植物性食物而非动物组织。该鱼呈现出从肉食性到更明显杂食性的个体发育饮食转变。这种鱼适应广泛的摄食习性，包括消化所有主要类型营养物质的能力，这些发现将有助于为这种可养殖鲶鱼的人工养殖制定更经济可行且营养均衡的饲料。
