LABORATORY TRIALS ON THE FEEDING PATTERN OF MOSQUITO LARVAE BY ORNAMENTAL FISHES (MOLLIES AND SWORDTAILS) IN DOMESTIC WELL WATER

The present experiment was carried out on the feeding pattern of different developmental stages of mosquitoes Ç4nopheles and Culex) and seven individuals of two ornamental fish species (Mollies and Swordtails).The developmental stages of mosquitoes wets zero instars, 1st instars, 2nd instars, 3rd instars larvae, and pupa. The ornamental fishes were Poecilia sphenops-White female, Poecilia •sphenops-B lack female, Poecilia sphenops Black balloon male, Xiphophoru,s- he/len- Black eyed marigold male, Xiphophorus he/len- Red eyed tangerine male, Xthophorus he/len- Red eyed marigold female and Xiphophorus he/len- Red eyed tangerine female. The experimental results revealed the positive responses in all cases except in pupa stage. T he correlation coefficient (r) of length of larvae (Y) and number of larvae intake by each individual fish (X) showed the negative significant correlation at 5% level of significance by the Poecilia sphenops Black balloon male (r -0.96), the Xijhophorus he//en- Red eyed tangerine male (r = 0.953), and the Xzphophorus he/len- Red eyed tangerine female(r - 0.99). This may be due to their omnivorous habit, width of gape of mouth and likeness to live food. Key words: Larvivorous fish, Bio-control, Larvivorous ornamental fishes.