Aquatics - Feeding Strategies 0.0 / 5 ? OtherAnimal ManagementOtherOther Created by: Becky_BerryCreated on: 31-12-20 16:36 What is different about fish diets? More protein is required compared to other vertebrates there are 10 Essential Amino Acids Fat is important for carnivorous fish, but still not more than 8% is needed Fish can lack access to carbohydrates and too much can deter growth Carbohydrates in fish can aid digestion Need vitamins and minerals for bones, teeth and scales Found in water and in the diet Only some fish need to drink in freshwater fish, the salinity is lower in the water so freshwater flows in through their gills and when they eat Chloride cells produce an enzyme that controls the flow of dissolved salts across cell membranes Saltwater fish live in an area where the salinity outside their body is higher than the salt levels inside their body Saltwater fish therefore have to drink water, but have to filter out the salt Saltwater fish generally filter out salt in their kidneys but they also have chloride cells which pumps salts out of their bloodstream 1 of 8 Diet Changes Diet can change depending on age, breeding needs and the environment. 2 of 8 Why is it important to get diets right? to provide the best welfare improved successes e.g., breeding deficiencies can impair health directly or indirectly by making fish more susceptible to disease 3 of 8 Herbivores/Browsers often have pharyngeal teeth Food spends a long time in the gut have a long gut and little or no stomach herbivores are known for grazing and browsing feed on plant matter e.g., parrotfish, angelfish, blennies, tangs browsers feed on dicotyledonous plant material feed on e.g., algae, aquatic plants, corals browsers: e.g., sea slugs, sea urchins, parrot fish, manatees 4 of 8 Carnivores/Insectivores stomachs - digestive vat usually have teeth but can be in different areas edge (maxillary) roof of the mouth (vomerine) carnivores use active hunting, ambush hunting and scavenging feed on animal matter Carnivores: e.g., Red-bellied Piranha, Arowana, Butterfly Fish insectivores are known for active hunting, ambush hunting and scavenging feed on invertebrates usually have maxillary or vomerine teeth digestive vat stomach e.g., Carp 5 of 8 Omnivores digestive system can vary opportunistic most aquatic species fall into this category, especially in desperate times omnivores are known for scavenging, ambush and opportunistic feeding feed on plant material and animal matter e.g., goldfish, corys, plecos 6 of 8 What can help you work out what to feed a fish? mouth size mouth shape habitat common family traits 7 of 8 Types of Feeder Terminal - middle feeders pick material whilst it is in suspension before it settles on the substrate e.g., angelfish, discus, cardinal tetra, tiger barb Superior - surface feeders take food that has fallen onto the surface of the water mouth facing upwards e.g., butterfly fish, glass catfish, siamese fighting fish Inferior - bottom feeders pick up particles of food that have settled on the substrate are often scavengers e.g., pleco, clown loach Filter feeders e.g., clams and anemones, herring (Clupeidae), Paddlefishes (Polyodontidae), Whale Sharks (Rhincodon) long gill proccesses, called gill rakers, trap plankton while the fish is swimming through the water with its mouth open take in mouthfuls of water and expel excess water e.g., through baleen ambush shoal feeding grazing scavenging active hunting 8 of 8
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