THE FOOD AND FEEDING HABITS OF AUCHEONOGLANIS OCCIDENTALIS (VALENCIENNES, 1840) INHABITING SEBORE RESERVOIR, MAYO - BELWA, ADAMAWA STATE

Sebore Reservoir is blessed with many commercial and potential aquaculture species but there is paucity of published information on their food and feeding habits especially Aucheonoglanis occidentalis. This study aimed at providing information on the food and feeding habits of A. occidentalis found in the reservoir. A total of 144 samples of A. occidentalis, were collected monthly for a period of one year. Fishing was done using gill nets and canoe. The fish specimens were washed with clean water and preserved in ice crest to minimize any post-mortem changes. The stomach contents of each of the A. occidentalis sample were identified and analysis was done using the numerical and frequency of occurrence methods. The results recorded from the 144 samples of A. occidentalis elucidated that 84 samples of A. occidentalis representing 58.33% have their stomach full with food, 51 (35.42%) were having a half-filled stomach and 9 (6.25%) were having an empty stomach. The higher number of A. occidentalis samples recorded with full stomach than the A. occidentalis samples with half - filled and empty stomach in the study area indicated that there was constant availability of food for the fish. Findings from this study indicated that the A. occidentalis from Sebore reservoir of Adamawa State is an Omnivore, which fed on both plant and animal materials, though it feeds mostly on animal materials (Insect parts, fish parts and unidentified worms) than on plants. The different varieties of food items observed in the gut make it a potential candidate for aquaculture.