Assessment of diet in two cyprinids using a modified stomach-flushing technique

Abstract

A modified flushing technique was used to sample the anterior gut contents of the stomachless cyprinids, the tench, Tinea tinea (L.), and grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella Val., in the laboratory and the field. The method was developed to provide quantitative estimates by measuring optimum penelration of a catheter into the gut of tench from their fork length. Possible implications for the sampling of gut contents of other cyprinids are discussed.