Bullhead diet question

[watsthat]

We went dipping in our local stream and caught 2 bullheads, shrimps and a leech and put them in a bucket. When we went to return them to the water, the leech was missing. Would a bullhead have eaten it?

Any comments very gratefully recieved.

Cheers

Pete

[yorkieuk]

I would imagine that bullheads will eat leechs aswel as many other macroinvertebrates.

[Kayleigh]

Could the leech have escaped from the bucket as they do crawl on land sometimes.

[~T~]

I think it's more likely to have climbed out or hidden in any debris. Fish don't usually feed when stressed.

[Dogghound]

Its possible, it just depends on how long its been left and how exposed it is. Leeches will climb up the sides of wet buckets too. Some creatures will eat each other in sample buckets especially invertebrates. Ive had eels eat smaller fish before and once had a toad that ate a frog whilst sampling. I have also seen various animals predated in newt traps.

Regarding diet as mentioned before they predominantly feed on invertebrates, I suspect that nymphs make up a large portion of the diet. They also predate small fish like minnows.

[N0z]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Its possible, it just depends on how long its been left and how exposed it is. Leeches will climb up the sides of wet buckets too. Some creatures will eat each other in sample buckets especially invertebrates. Ive had eels eat smaller fish before and once had a toad that ate a frog whilst sampling. I have also seen various animals predated in newt traps.

Regarding diet as mentioned before they predominantly feed on invertebrates, I suspect that nymphs make up a large portion of the diet. They also predate small fish like minnows.

Wait toads eat frogs ? :O!

[Dogghound]

It was only a small frog, but yes toads will feed on other amphibians adult newts.

[King Edward]

There is an account in one of Gerald Durrell's books of a Common Toad eating a Gecko (in Corfu), although admittedly this was a very large toad and the situation was unusual since the lizard had been knocked off the ceiling and was unlucky enough to fall right in front of the toad. Essentially I think they'll eat pretty much anything of a suitable size given the opportunity.

[N0z]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

It was only a small frog, but yes toads will feed on other amphibians adult newts.

:O! didnt expect that :/

[watsthat]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Could the leech have escaped from the bucket as they do crawl on land sometimes.

It could have crawled out, it was about 10 minutes between when we last saw it and when we noticed it missing.

Pete