STUDIES ON FOOD AND FEEDING HABITS OF CARP, LABEO CALBASU FROM KEENJHAR LAKE DISTRICT THATTA, SINDH, PAKISTAN

To enumerate the food and feeding habits of carp Labeo calbasu, 120 specimens were collected from Keenjhar Lake District Thatta, Sindh Pakistan. According to the present observations that the L. calbasu mainly feeds on organic detritus (71.98% by volume) followed by the sand and mud particles (8.56%) and latter contributed mostly on blue green algae, diatoms and zooplankton are described as incidental food. The shell pieces and other miscellaneous items could not be considered as food as is evident from their poor representation and are engulfed accidently along with mud particles. It was also inferred from current study that the food and feeding habits of L. calbasu indicated as bottom feeder and mainly subsisting on decayed organic food.