Do Bighead Carp Eat Phytoplankton? An Analysis of Their Feeding Habits

Bighead carp mainly feed on zooplankton, but also consume phytoplankton. According to research by Professor Ni Dashu, the average ratio of zooplankton to phytoplankton in the diet of bighead carp is 1:4.5. In terms of quantity, phytoplankton predominates, but in terms of biomass it is far surpassed by zooplankton, since on average a single zooplankton is 10 times larger than a single phytoplankton or more. Therefore, from an analysis of the feeding habits of bighead carp, the occurrence rate of phytoplankton is not low, but it is still zooplankton that plays the main nutritional role. Given this situation, the original Guangdong experience still leaves room for improvement, namely that the ratio of bighead carp to silver carp of 1:3 can also be raised to 1.5:2.5. When the supply of silver carp fry is insufficient, bighead carp fry can also be used as a substitute to increase the stocking proportion of bighead carp, and there is not much harm in doing so.