PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE FOOD COMPOSITION OF MUD EEL, MONOPTERUS ALBUS

Food compositions of mud eels, Monopterus albus were investigated in areas of three counties in Hubei province.Diets of the mud eels with body length less than 100mm changed with their growth: from Rotifera and Cladocera to Oligochaeta and Chironomidae. However, the food composition of the mud eels with body length more than 100mm were quite constant, with Chironomidae, Oligochaeta, Pheretima,Cladocera, Copepoda and insect larvae as the major food items found.Phytoplanktons,benthic algae and organic debris were also found in intestines of the fish, indicating that the fish is to a large extent omnivorous.It is suggested that artificial feeds may be emploged in the culture of the fish.