Food and feeding habits of peacock eel, Macrognathus aculeatus (Bloch, 1786) from Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India
Feeding intensity in relation to season and maturity stages and food items of peacock eel, Macrognathus aculeatus (Bloch, 1786) were investigated. Slenderical body, well developed dentition, modified gill rakers, strongly built stomach and short intestine are some of the characteristics that were related to fish's dietary composition. There was no major shift in from the basically carnivorous orientation of the fish during its various life stages. Forage fish and annelids were the basic food of adult while aquatic insects and annelids were eaten by juveniles. Feeding intensity was high in stage III at which gonad ripens and was relatively low in the specimens with ripe gonads. Large size fish consumed more food during autumn while smaller individuals feed heavily during post monsoon and autumn. Juveniles and adults both consumed lesser quantity of food during winter, but there was no cessation of feeding in any period of their life.