Enderlein, O. (1981). When, where, what and how much does the adult cisco, Coregonus albula (L.) eat in the Bothnian Bay during the ice-free season. Reports of the Institute of Freshwater Research, Drottningholm. 59:21-32.
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Enderlein, O.
1981
When, where, what and how much does the adult cisco, Coregonus albula (L.) eat in the Bothnian Bay during the ice-free season.
Reports of the Institute of Freshwater Research, Drottningholm
59:21-32.
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The cisco breakfast between 6 and 9 a.m. in midwater, on its way down to the bottom. Breakfast consists of Limnocalanus grimaldii. Lunch is not eaten except in October when the ciscoes have a brunch (breakfast-lunch) consisting of Bosmina coregoni maritima, Eurytemora spp and Daphnia cristata. Dinner is eaten on the way to and at the surface (the time varies with the season, but is usually between 3 and 9 p.m.) and consists mostly of Bosmina and Eurytemora. A supper of terrestrial insects trapped at the surface is sometimes eaten in the evenings when the weather is good.
The amount consumed during 24 hours varies considerably, being about 1 per cent of the body weight in the beginning of June and in mid October, 30 per cent at the end of July and about 10 per cent in the beginning of September. There is no direct correlation between the zooplankton species present and those which are consumed. My explanation for this is that the zooplankton are invisible to the cisco for most of the time, but when visible zooplankton are abundant the fish prey heavily upon them. A rapid gastric evacuation rate enables them to take advantage of these occasions.
