International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research

Authors
Wanyanga Aquiline, Yongo Edwine, Mwangudza Petronilla

Abstract
Studies on the diet of Synodontis victoriae were conducted from Kunya beach Lake Victoria, Kenya. Sampling was done four times: twice during rainy period (December, 2015) and twice during dry spell (January, 2016). The fish were caught using beach seine of mesh size 1.5-3.0 inches, length 350m and width 3m. Each specimen was measured in centimeter Fork length (FL, cm) and sex determined. The guts were then removed and preserved in 4% formalin prior to laboratory analysis. A total of 173 stomachs were examined, and the diet constituted of 9 food items out of which plant detritus, chironomids and copepods formed the major components. Spearman test revealed significant similarities in diet with respect to sex, season and size classes (p<0.05). However, the fish fed more on plant detritus (index of preponderance: Ip = 24.0%)) during the dry season and more on chironomids (Ip = 24.0%) in the rainy season. In terms of size, smaller fish 8.0-9.9 cm FL fed more on zooplankton copepods (Ip = 22.4.0%), while plant detritus (Ip = 32.0%) dominated the diet of adults in the length group 14.0-15.9 cm FL. Synodontis victoriae was considered to be omnivorous from the nature of the food items eaten. We also recommended further studies of the diel feeding and spatial/temporal change in its diet since these were not covered in the present study.