Changes in the diet of Nile perch, Lates niloticus (L), in the Mwanza Gulf, Lake Victoria

Samples of Nile perch (Lates niloticus L.) were collected for stomach analysis from trawl catches conducted in the Mwanza Gulf from September 1986 to September 1988. Initially haplochromine cichlids formed the main food item for the Nile perch. Despite their decline, haplochromines still formed the major part of its diet in 1986. After the virtually complete disappearance of the haplochromines in 1987 and 1988, the benthic shrimp Caridina nilotica, the pelagic cyprinid, Rastrineobola argentea and juvenile Nile perch became the main food of Nile perch. Twenty-four trawl sessions were conducted to determine the relative quantities of respective prey taken. When present, Caridina is the major prey, mainly taken by day. If absent, juvenile Nile perch constitute the main part of the diet. Seasonal differences in diet composition probably reflect seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of the main prey species. © 1992 Kluwer Academic Publishers.