Aquarium studies on the selectivity of 16 aquatic plants as food by fingerling hybrids of the cross between Ctenopharyngodon idella ♂ and Cyprinus carpio ♀

Abstract

Fish hybrids of the cross Ctenopharyngodon idella ♂ (grass carp) and Cyprinus carpio ♀ (Israeli carp), averaging 124 mm total length and 20 g in weight were stocked in aquaria along with 16 different aquatic plants to determine which plants they would eat. Observations showed that one group of plants was highly utilized (Azolla caroliniana, Lemna spp., Cladophora sp., Spirogyra sp., Nymphaea odorata); another group was moderately utilized (Pistia stratiotes, Ruppia maritima, Najas flexilis, Limnobium spongia, Potamogeton pecti‐natus). Two other groups were only poorly utilized (Ceratophyllum demersum, Eichhornia crassipes, Elodea sp.) , or not utilized (Cabomba caroliniana, Sigittaria sp., Myriophyllum pinnatum).