GUT CONTENT ANALYSIS OF ENDEMIC LARVIVOROUS FISH FROM SUSWA RIVER OF DOON VALLEY, DEHRADUN

Food is the basic prerequisite for growth, development, survival and existence of all organisms. Gut content analysis of fish provides an important insight into feeding patterns and quantitative assessment of feeding habits of fish. The objective of present study is to identify the endemic fish having larvivorous potential in natural condition by gut content analysis. Fish were collected from Suswa river, Doon valley by following the standard techniques of fishing during July 2018 to June 2019. The collected fishes were shorted and identified using standard identification keys and catalogues. Fish were dissected and gut content were examined microscopically and numerical methods was used by calculating percentage composition of food items in total contents of fish stomach. A total of 200 fish of 20 species belonging to 13 genera were dissected for gut content analysis. The contents were classified based on food types and fish were differentiated into herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous. Choices of food by fish were based on the availability of food at a particular habitat and the fish species showed omnivorosity habit of feeding. Further, feeding potential of fish were estimated based on the percentage composition of insect content only among animal content and categorized as voracious feeder, moderate feeder and opportunistic feeder.