Seasonal patterns of feeding based on percentage occurrence of food items
The findings of the study shown that the food items of C. carpio var. specularis consists of aquatic
plant parts, phytoplankton, zooplankton, debris and detritus, insects and semi-digested food materials.
The analysis of stomach contents of C. carpio var. specularis revealed that the food of the fish consists
of aquatic plant parts (20.12%), phytoplankton (16.46%), zooplankton (19.69%), debris and detritus
(22.00%), insects (6.78%) and semi-digested materials (14.83%). The highest percentage (33.26%) of
aquatic plant parts were observed in June 2011 and the lowest percentage (8.80%) in December 2010.
The highest percentage (25.36%) of phytoplankton was observed in January 2011 and the lowest
percentage (10.13%) in June 2011. The highest percentage (26.29%) of zooplankton was observed in
April 2011 and the lowest percentage (12.28%) in December 2010. The highest percentage (31.27%)
of debris and detritus was observed in November 2010 and the lowest percentage (14.22%) in April
20011. The highest percentage (9.51%) of insects was found in December 2010 and the lowest
percentage (4.0%) in June 2011. The highest percentage (35.61%) of semi-digested materials was
found in December 2010 and the lowest percentage (6.46%) in June 2011 (Table 2 and Fig. 1). Debris
and detritus parts were very dominant food item of C. carpio var. specularis. Joadder and Hossain
(2008) reported that the crustaceans and molluscs were very dominant food items in C. carpio var.
specularis throughout the year.