Dietary Features of Invasive Mozambique Tilapia in the Bhima River, India

Abstract Biological invasions pose significant threats to freshwater biodiversity by altering trophic dynamics and competing with native species. The Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters, 1852) (Cichliformes; Cichlidae), an invasive species widely established in Indian waters, has raised concerns about its ecological impacts. Accordingly, the diet of O. mossambicus collected from the Bhima River in India was assessed using both stomach content analysis (SCA) and DNA metabarcoding (MA). Juveniles primarily consumed microinvertebrates, whereas adults exhibited a more diversified diet. Metabarcoding detected a broader range of prey items, including cryptic and soft-bodied taxa, providing higher taxonomic resolution than SCA. Occurrence (FOO, wPOO) and read-based (RRA) metrics indicated strong reliance on zooplankton across size-classes, with additional contributions from other invertebrates and plant-associated material. Together, SCA and MA revealed a flexible, zooplanktivorous-omnivorous strategy that may promote invasion success and heighten trophic overlap with native planktivores. By exploiting basal resources, Mozambique tilapia may destabilize native trophic networks, highlighting the need for continued monitoring to inform management and conservation actions in the Bhima River basin.