Relationship between turbidity and fish diets in Lakes Waahi and Whangape, New Zealand

Stomach contents of Gobiomorphus cotidianus,Retropinna retropinna, Gambusia affinis , and Anguilla australis were compared between two shallow lakes in the lower Waikato River basin, to examine the relationship between turbidity and diet. Lake Waahi and the south arm of Lake Whangape had been turbid (20–40 g suspended solids (SS) m −3 ) and devoid of submerged macrophytes since the late 1970s and early 1980s, respectively. The main basin of Lake Whangape had been generally clearer (5 g SS m −3 ) with dense beds of submerged macrophytes, but at the time of sampling (1987) water clarity had deteriorated (> c. 10 g SS m 3 ) and submerged macrophytes had declined. The mysid Tenagomysis chiltoni was an important prey for all species of fish from turbid water bodies but was less important in stomachs of fish in the main basin of Lake Whangape. Apparently, mysids were not an important prey in Lake Waahi before it became turbid. Chironomid larvae and pupae dominated the diets of small fish in the main basin of Lake Whangape. Fish and mysids were the most important prey of shortfinned eels in both lakes, with mysids most important in Lake Waahi. High mysid densities in the turbid water bodies provide an alternative food resource apparently compensating for those lost by fish when water clarity declined and submerged macrophytes collapsed.