Feeding Habits of Indian Flying Barb Esomus Danrica (Hamilton, 1822) From Upper Assam, India | Insight Medical Publishing

The feeding habits of Esomus danrica was carried out from the Maijan wetland and fish landing sites at Guijan Ghat of Brahmaputra River, upper Assam. The lowest relative length of gut (RLG) of E. danrica was found as 1.24 (± 0.52) in >5 cm group whereas the highest as 1.6 (± 0.7) in 4-5 cm length group. It reveals that the fish falls in the category of carni-omnivorous fishes. The gastro somatic index (GSI) ranged from 1.799 ± 1.396 (Dec) to 6.499 ± 2.690 (Apr) for males and from 1.81 ± 0.700 (Nov) to 5.960 ± 1.497 (Apr) for females. In male, the minimum GSI (3.31 ± 1.7) observed in immature stage and maximum (5.14 ± 1.04) in mature stage. In case of females, the minimum (2.4 ± 1.1) and maximum (4.55 ± 1.3) were recorded in maturing and ripe stage respectively. The active feeding was recorded during November (66.7%), moderate feeding during May (61.8%), while poor feeding during August (48.6%). Empty stomach was also recorded throughout the year with little percentage. Again, the highest active feeding (41.1%) was recorded in ripe species; moderate feeding (47.4%) and poor feeding (25%) in mature and immature stage respectively while the highest percentage of the empty stomach (25%) was observed in immature.