Relationship between the chemical composition of aquatic macrophytes and their consumption by grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella

Grass carp fed on Elodea canadensis from 3 lakes at significantly different rates (P<0.001), but did not eat Elodea densa from 2 of the sites at different rates. Feeding rate of the grass carp was positively correlated to concentration of Ca and lignin, but negatively correlated to the content of Fe, Si and cellulose. Water chemistry may affect palatability and could in part be responsible for some discrepancies in grass carp consumption rate and preference studies. -from Authors