Filamentous Algae as a Food Source for the Brown Bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus)

1 March 1977

journal article
research article
Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada

Vol. 34 (3) , 396-401
https://doi.org/10.1139/f77-063

Abstract

Studies of food habits of the brown bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus) in the Ottawa River have often shown a high proportion of filamentous algae in the stomach. This study was designed to determine whether the algae were utilized as food. Isotopic and caloric techniques showed that about 23% of the carbon from Spirogyra and 67% of the carbon from Anaebena flos-aquae was assimilated by the fish within 24 h of ingestion.