Food and feeding habits of goat fish Upeneus sulphureus from Nizampatnam Coast, Andhra Pradesh, India

A detailed study of the food spectrum and feeding habit of goat fish Upeneus sulphureus which habitat the coast of Nizampatnam revealed that this fish is predominantly omnivorous nature, and abundant and important food fish in this area. The spectrum of different food items in the different water bodies depends on many environmental factors and selection mechanism of fish and available food items in the environment. The stable food item for this fish was crustaceans and their larvae, small fishes, polychaetes worms, miscellaneous matter and digested food. The monthly Gastro somatic index ranged from 3 to 12 and the higher values were recorded in the months of June and July months.