Stomach contents and feeding habits of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) from Abu-Zabal lakes, Egypt.

The present study aimed to provide information on the abundance of natural foods needed by Oreochromis niloticus (L.) in newly formed mining lake namely Abu-Zabal lakes. The natural food of O. niloticus in Abu-Zabal lake, Egypt was studied from the gut contents of fish measuring 10- 23 cm total length. Gut contents were analyzed using two methods, the frequency of occurrence and numerical method. Diatoms, blue green algae and green algae constituted main food of plant origin. Diatoms were found to be the most preferable food of plant origin where it occurred in more than 68.0% of the examined fish. Rotifers, cladoceranes, ostracods, copepods, molluscanes and animal derivatives were comprised the food of anima l origin. Sand particles, detritus and macrophytes (plant tissues) occurred in about 40.0, 75.4 and 33.3% of the examined guts respectively. It was concluded that O. niloticus in Abu-Zabal lakes is omnivorous.