Trophic ecology of fishes: consolidating the basic (traditional) methods

Studies of food and feeding ecology are important to investigate trophic interrelationships of fishes in their resident water bodies. These are usually achieved using various important methods. However because no single measure gives an overall representation of the feeding habits of fish, best results are achieved only when methods are used to complement one another. This paper reviews various methods used in studying trophic fish ecology and suggests consolidation of the traditional or basic methods with relevant statistical indices and local ecological knowledge. More advanced methods are also proposed as valuable tools because they compensate for some possible errors that may arise from the use of quantitative methods