Feeding on phytoplankton profile of two African Cichlids in large reservoir, Lake Nasser, Egypt

This study was carried out in 2016 to investigate the feeding on phytoplankton profile of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and mango tilapia (Sarotherodon galilaeus) inhabiting Lake Nasser, and its relation to their fisheries biological parameters. Phytoplankton Preference index (PPI), Index of Relative Importance (IRI), and Straus Linear index were used to investigate the feeding patterns of the two species in the lake. Moreover, some fish biological parameters of the two species were determined in the lake different areas. The results showed that O. niloticus and S. galilaeus feed mainly on the same phytoplankton items. Bacillariophyceae was identified as the most desired phytoplankton item to O. niloticus (IRI = 12.53) and S. galilaeus (IRI=18.28). Both fish specieswere more selective to five species from Bacillariophyceae and five species from Chlorophyceae, while they were more avoidant to four speciesfrom Cyanophyceae at all lake’s areas. The results also showed that the main fisheries biological parameters are varied significantly between the two species and through lake different areas. This study concluded that the variation in fisheries biological parameters in Lake Nasser is not related to the pattern of feeding on phytoplankton but is led by other factors (e.g. fishing practices).