Food & feeding habi ts of an endemic carp, Osteobrama belangeri (Val.) in Manipur

A total of 146 O. belangeri (V) of total length 6.0-25.9 cm and age group 0* to 4 * year were sampled from different water sources. Their gut contents were analysed and buccopharynx studied. The percentage composition of major food items in various size groups of fish was different. In juveniles (6.-10 cm TL) zooplankton contents were the highest (51.9 %). Aquatic plants formed the main food item (40-60 %) in grownup fishes (10-26) cm TL). The alimentary canal is a long tube with undifferentiated stomach. The development of massive pharyngeal teeth reveals the capability of crushing hard bodied preys. Osteobrama belangeri (Val.) locally known as 'pengba ' in Manipur and 'Nga-hpeh-oung ' and 'Nga-net-hua ' in Myanmar is a medium carp (Family-Cs^prinidae) endemic to the eastern part of Manipur (India), Myanmar and Yunan provinces (China). It is one of the most important food fishes and has a ready demand in Manipur. However, the fish has almost disappeared from the Loktak lake (Menon, 1989) and other water bodies of the central plain of the state. Hence intensification of induced breed-ing and attempt to culture this fish has been given high priority (Basudha and Vishwanath, 1993). A number of excellent monographs provide detailed information on dietary habits of this fish (Scott and Grossman, 1973; Fryer and lies, 1972). t h e food of fishes according to Schaperclause, (1933) may be of three groups such as main. occasional and emergency food. A clas-sification was also made by Nikolskii (1963) based on the relationship be-tween fishes and their food and catego-rised them according to the extent of variation in the types of food consumed. Das and Moitra (1963) also classified fishes according to the food consumed. Informatioii on natural food of fishes, feeding habits, nutritional need and general trophic ecology are of para-mount importance in any pisciculture venture. The purpose of present study was to investigate the food and feeding habits and digestive physiology of Osteobrama belangeri (Val.). Fishes were collected monthly fro