DIET COMPOSITION, FEEDING HABITS AND CONDITION FACTOR OF Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus IN EBONYI RIVER (A TROPICAL FLOOD RIVER SYSTEM), SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

The investigation for the food, feeding habits and condition factor of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus in Ebonyi River was on seventy (70) samples. In the stomach of the C. nigrodigitiatus examined, the food items found include: cladocera, copepods, rotifer, diatoms, dinoflagellate, clams, worms, insect parts, fish scales, sand grains and detritus. The stomach contents of the samples examined revealed that the stomach conditions varied in the following order, those with full stomach contents were 41 (58.6%), partially full stomach contents were 12 (17.1%), partially empty stomach were 8 (11.4%) and empty stomach contents were 9 (12.9%). The condition factor (K) values of C. nigrodigitatus in each month were calculated. The highest value was recorded in September (1.7) while the lowest value was in November (0.6). Overall mean K value for the population sampled was 0.9. This revealed that the stock is in good condition. Based on these findings, C. nigrodigitatus is an “Opportunistic feeder” and a potential species for aquaculture.