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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 855-863 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Fish Biology |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jan 1989 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Aquatic Science