Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Field sampling and laboratory experiment were carried out.

In the field, invertebrates were sampled using hand net 2mm mesh size, and the fish were caught using standard gill nets. The gut content analysis were made .

In the laboratory, aquarium was put in place, with a removable glass slide partition at the centre to separate the prey from the predator.

21 perch fish were available for 3x 7 rotation. 3  fish were in a group at a time, with prey item of 7mm, 9mm and 10mm size category were fed to the fish. The fish responses were recorded  and observed to ascertain the handling time.

The data were analysed using  one way ANOVA statistics to compare the means of the observed handling time across the prey types and size category.

Test of proportion  of the invertebrates distributions in the two habitat sampled were made using  Renkonen index and a t - test.