Sibling cannibalism in Koi carp, Cypvinus carpio L., larvae and juveniles reared under controlled conditions

P. van Damme, S. Appelbaum, T. Hecht

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

68 Scopus citations

Abstract

The potential impact of sibling cannibalism on the size and population structure of captive populations of Koi carp, Cyprinus carpio L., which were fed only dry foods, was determined. The rate of cannibalism was found to be positively density‐dependent, with the highest rate being recorded at initial stocking densities of 40 larvae 1 (33.3% of the fish had been eaten by cannibals by day 52). Two types of cannibalism could be distinguished: type I, where the head of the prey was rejected once the caudal region of the prey had been progressively ingested; type II, where the prey were caught either head‐first or tail‐first and were ingested completely. The first type was limited to the period from the ninth to the 15th day of rearing, and the second type started on the 18th day. Measurement of the mouth, head and tail allowed the calculation of predicted cannibal ‐prey relationships. The consequences and implications of coeval sibling cannibalism in culture systems are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)855-863
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Fish Biology
Volume34
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1989

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Aquatic Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Sibling cannibalism in Koi carp, Cypvinus carpio L., larvae and juveniles reared under controlled conditions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this