Abstract

• Larvivorous fishes feeding on immature stages of mosquito form an efficient bio-control agent. Observation on predation activities of Poecilia reticulata on mosquito larvae was carried out under laboratory conditions at 21.5±1.3˚C and 80.78±5.7% RH, during October 2018 to October 2019. Male and female guppies were used as predators for predation experiments on the 3rd and 4th instars of mosquito larvae. The female guppies consumed more mosquito larvae than male guppies did. The data indicated that P.reticulata have different mean consumption rates on 3rd 100 mosquito larvae with 1 liter of water volume (64 ± 17.1 by female, 28 ± 6.7 by male, with an average of 56 ± 8.8 (female) and 26 ± 4.8 (male). The data indicated that P.reticulata have different mean consumption rates on 3rd 200 mosquito larvae with 1 liter of water volume (187 ± 13.5 by female, 75 ± 11.6 by male, with an average of 175 ± 15.6 (female) and 72 ± 11.8 (male). The data indicated that P.reticulata have different mean consumption rates on 4th 100 mosquito larvae with 1 liter of water volume (25 ± 4.3 preys by female and 12 ± 2.7 preys by male with an average of 24 ± 1.8 (female) and 12 ± 0.9 (male) preys). The data indicated that wild guppies have different mean consumption rates on 4th 200 mosquito larvae with 1 liter of water volume (70 ± 17.8 preys by female and 34 ± 9.4 preys by male with an average of 68 ± 10.2 (female) and 33 ± 5.3 (male) preys). Larval consumption increased when the densities of prey increase until satiation level is reached, that is, when the fish becomes overwhelmed. Prey densities also influences predation activities and feeding rate.