Review of Food and Feeding Habits of Some Synodontis Fishes in African Freshwaters

Abstract

This paper reviewed food and feeding habits of six Synodontis species in the African freshwaters and determined diet with respect to size (ontogenetic shift) and season. The variety of food substances found in the stomach of various Synodontis species from different African waters showed that the species are omnivorous feeders as the diet covers a wide spectrum of food ranging from various types of plankton to invertebrates, plants and small fish. The importance of phytoplankton, zooplankton and insects declined steadily with size of fish while the importance of macrophytes, fish fry and fish scales increased with size of fish. This review showed abundance of food for Synodontis fish in both the months of wet and dry seasons. The high diversity of the food composition in the stomachs of Synodontis fish species indicates a wide adaptability to the food and feeding habit in the water bodies in which they live. The scientific information obtained in this review is important for understanding of the trophic position of the Synodontis fish species in order to maintain proper balance and dynamics of the species in the African freshwaters.