Observations of food and feeding of angler-caught huchen, Hucho hucho (L.), in Slovak rivers in winter

The stomach contents of 41 specimens of huchen, Hucho hucho (L.), from six rivers in Slovakia were analyzed. Of the total number of fish examined (n=41), the stomachs of 17% were empty; thus, they were not analyzed further. A total of 116 animal prey items were found and identified in the 34 specimens analyzed. Eleven taxonomic categories were identified. The diet of H. hucho mainly consisted of fish, but one huchen had frogs in its stomach. Cyprinids and salmonids dominated the diet in winter months of November and December. Spirlin, Alburnoides bipinctatus (Bloch), and chub, Leuciscus cephalus (L.), were the primary prey of H. hucho. These results confirm that the huchen occupies a top position in the food chain of montane and submontane rivers and could play an important role in structuring fish assemblages.