Comparative Study on the Food Habits of Six Species of Lamprologus (Osteichthyes: Cichlide)

Abstract

The comparative study on the food habits of six species of the genus Lamprologus, L. brichardi, L. elongatus, L. lemairei, L. modestus, L. toae and L. tretocephalus, on the northwestern coast of Lake Tanganyika was examined by analyzing stomach contents. In every species, copepods were the predominant food item for their post-larvae. In the fry stage copepods are also dominant items except for L. lemairei and L. tretocephalus, in which benthonic animals increase and become dominant food items. The food habit of these species change between fry and subadult stage except for appear at its subadult stage as follows: i.e., zooplankter feeding in L. brichardi. The characteristic food habit of eaxh apecies appear at its subadult stage as follows;i.e., zooplankter feeding in L. brichardi, benthonic animal feeding in L. modestus, L. toae and L. tretocephalus, and piscivorous in L. elongatus, and L. lemairei.