FECUNDITY AND FOOD HABITS OF THE SLENDER STONEBASHER (Hippopotamyrus ansorgii Boulenger, 1905) (Mormyridae) IN OGBESE RIVER

Abstract

Fecundity and food habits of Hippopotamyrus ansorgii from Ogbese River were investigated. The major fishing method employed for collecting the specimens were cast and gill netting. The total lengths ranged from 14.6 cm to 22.1cm while the body weights ranged from 30.0 to 91.0 g. The food items found in the examined stomachs were rotifer, algae, insects, crustacean, detritus and plant parts but the major food items based on the ranking index were insects and crustaceans. The sex ratio of H. ansorgii was 1.13: 1 for males: females. The gonadosomatic index showed that H. ansorgii in Ogbese River uses an average of 11.69% of its body weight in egg production. Fecundity ranged from 600 to 7200 eggs with an average of 3231eggs per female. In conclusion, H. ansorgii in Ogbese River was an omnivore and highly fecund fish.