Assessing the dietary sources of two cichlid species in River Nile sub-branches: Stomach contents, fatty acids and stable isotopes analyses

We assess the importance of four different food sources as dietary components of Oreochromis niloticus and Sarotherodon galilaeus in Nile sub-branches using stomach contents, fatty acids (FA) and stable isotopes (SI) analyses. Diatoms were the dominant food items, whereas sand and mud constitute a major part of the stomach contents of both cichlids in the northern ElBehery canal. FAs and SI were compared in cichlids and four potential food sources. Carbon isotopes excluded the fresh macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum and its epiphytes as a potential food source, whereas FA biomarkers indicated that M. spicatum is assimilated in cichlids’ muscles as detrital materials. FA profiles of cichlids’ muscles were highly enriched by live diatom markers whereas decayed diatoms and bacterial markers were partially present. Carbon isotope signatures of cichlids were much close to that of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) which elucidated that SPOM was the source of diatoms and bacterial detritus incorporated in cichlids muscles. Cichlids were highly enriched with nitrogen signatures which was a result of increased anthropogenic effects and incorporation of bacterial films. SI and FA analyses precisely indicated that live diatoms and bacteria, detrital macrophytes are the main sources of organic matter incorporated in cichlids muscles.