In this study, predation efficiency of three guppy ( Poecilia reticulata) size classes was evaluated at various vegetation densities in a series of circular aquaria containing plastic plants closely resembling Ceratophyllum demersum. The effect of vegetation density was most apparent among large fish where predation efficiency greatly diminished from 12.35 mosquito larvae (Aedes aegypti) to 4.68 as vegetation densities rose from 3 to 19 plants/700 cm2. Over that same range of increasing vegetation densities, predation among small fish remained unchanged, whereas among fish of intermediate size predation declined significantly but less precipitously than for large individuals. When presented with a choice between second and fourth mosquito larvae, small fish preferred to prey on second instars, whereas large fish preferred fourth instar larvae. Fish of intermediate size did not show a statistically significant preference. The functional response of fish to increasing prey densities, as measured over a 12-h period, was of Type III.

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