The influence of prey size and abundance, and individual phenotype on prey choice by the three‐spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatm L.

Abstract

Prey selection behaviour of three‐spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus L., was studied in two experiments. Where possible, the experimental apparatus satisfied the assumptions of the simplest optimal diet model (the basic prey model); prey were presented sequentially, the fish could not search for and handle prey at the same time, and net energy gain, handling time and encounter rate were fixed. Experiment 1 presented fish with a range of Asellus sizes so that pursuit (p) and handling (h) time could be related to prey size. Published energy values of Asellus together with pursuit and handling times were used to calculate E/(p+h) for Asellus measuring 3,4,5,6,7 and 9 mm. Pursuit times did not differ with prey size but handling times did. E/(p+h) was very variable particularly at the larger prey sizes. Experiment 2 presented fish with two sequences of prey differing in the encounter rate with the most profitable prey sizes. Fish did not select the diet predicted by the basic prey model tending to always ignore the largest prey even when net energy gain would have been maximized by including them in the diet. Further analysis showed that the probability of a prey size being taken was a function of prey size, fish stomach fullness and encounter rate. It is concluded that the basic prey model is too simple to capture the behaviour of the fish. One of its main faults is that the changing state of the fish through the feeding bout is ignored.