Food and Feeding Habits of Shell Fishes in Indian Water

Penaeid Shrimps Penaeid shrimps are mostly omnivorous, feeding at the muddy bottom. Their post-larvae and juveniles feed on detritus but sub-adult prawns prefer polychaetes, bivalves, gastropods, benthic copepods, ostracods, amphipods and foraminifers. The adults of larger penaeids become predaceous and feed on cephalopods and smaller species of prawns and fishes. Non-penaeid shrimps Feeds on detritus

Marine crabs Crabs feed mainly on smaller crustaceans, fishes, molluscs, polychaetes, detritus, bits of plant and other organic materials. Lobsters Lobsters generally prefer mussel and clam. Occasionally, they eat smaller crustaceans, polychaetes, fishes while scavenging.

Cephalopods The cephalopods are generally carnivorous and their food consists of teleost fishes, crustaceans and other cephalopods. Cannibalism is common among cephalopods. Feeding intensity decreases during the spawning season