Food and Feeding Habits of Two Freshwater Catfish, Mystus cavasius and Xenentodon cancila from Chambal River (M.P)

The food and feeding habits of freshwater catfish, Mystus cavasius and Xenentodon cancila were analysed on the basis of methods i. e. , percent numerical count and percent frequency occurrence. The results from the analysis of gut contents of these two fresh water catfishes shows that both of the fish, M. cavasius and X. cancila depends mainly on the animal material i. e. , zooplankton, crustaceans, round worms, insects, parts of insect, insects larvae and mollusc. The results from the study also reveal that plant material contributes the equal portion of the diet. M. cavasius has been categorised as eury-omnivorous as it feeds on wide range of diet including both the vegetable as well as animal diet but on the basis of biomass of food material, animal material contributes a major portion of the diet hence it may be pointed out as carnivore in its feeding habit. The gut contents of X. cancila consist of large portion of animal material in biomass and plant materials is in lesser proportion hence this comes in the category of carnivorous fish. Empty stomach were observed in May and June (pre-spawning period) due to bigger size of the gonads which occupying larger space in the body cavity and allowed a little space for the food. This may be concluded that food and feeding habits of these two fish is correlated with their natural habitat.