Question

In composite fish farming, the surface feeder fish is
(a) Labeo rohita
(b) Catla catla
(c) Cirrhina mrigala
(d) Hilsa

Answer 1

Hint: These fishes are indigenous species of fishes and are grown along with the other exotic and indigenous fishes in composite fish farming to consume the mass of phytoplankton growing in the pond or water body.

Complete answer:
Catla catla is the surface feeder fish in composite fish farming. Composite fish farming is practiced to obtain the maximum yield of fish from a lake or reservoir where several species of fishes are stocked together in proper proportion in the same pond so that all the available ecological niches of the pond are exploited which leads to an increase in the production several times.
-Composite fish farming is also known with the terms mixed farming, composite fish culture, or polyculture. In this practice, commonly five or six different species of fishes are grown together that explore different food habitats in the pond and they don’t need to compete with each other for food resources.
-The food that is supplied to the pond is completely utilized and in turn, the yield is increased.
-Three types of indigenous species of fishes are used which act as surface feeders, column feeders, and bottom feeders. Besides these, some exotic species of fishes are also used that include Common carp, Grass carp, Silver carp, etc.
-The fish Labeo rohita is fed from the middle layer of water so it is called a mid-water feeder.
-The fish Cirrhina mrigala fed on the bottom of the composite system so it is called a bottom feeder.
-The fish Hilsa is a filter feeder because it fed different kinds of planktons using a filter after grubbing the muddy bottom of the pond.

so, the correct answer is ‘Catla catla’.

Note:
-Labeo rohita or Rohu is an indigenous fish grown in composite fish farming that acts as a column feeder and consumes algal blooms, macrophytes, and other decaying plants.
-Cirrhina mrigala is also an indigenous fish in composite fish farming and acts as a bottom feeder and consumes the decaying plants and detritus.