The early catfish catches the worm: predation of Corydoras aeneus (Siluriformes, Callichthyidae) on freshwater nematodes

Author： Majdi Nabil Weber Sebastian Traunspurger Walter

Publisher： Edp Sciences

E-ISSN： 2100-000x|54|issue|29-29

ISSN： 0003-4088

Source： Annales de Limnologie, Vol.54, Iss.issue, 2018-09, pp. : 29-29

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

In this study, we measured the daily consumption of four different nematode species by a small freshwater catfish species, Corydoras aeneus (Gill, 1858). Consumption of nematodes by fishes was significant with a single C. aeneus individual being able to consume in 24 h between 40 581 and 75 849 adult nematodes depending on the nematode species offered. This represented the ingestion of up to 238 mg wet weight when considering the largest nematode species: Panagrellus redivivus. Our results strengthen the growing evidence of a significant trophic channel existing between meiobenthic invertebrates like nematodes and small bottom-feeding fishes like C. aeneus. We also discuss the relevance of using P. redivivus as live food for rearing C. aeneus which is a popular ornamental fish.