All sirenians are herbivores. They feed on a wide variety of submerged, emergent, floating, and shoreline vegetation. Manatees in Florida feed on over 60 species of plants. These include turtle grass, manatee grass, shoal grass, mangrove leaves, various algae, water hyacinth, and water hydrilla. All manatees eat vegetation.
Manatees avoid specific plants, such as spatterdock and waterpennywort, that contain natural toxins.
Antillean manatees have been known to eat fish from nets. B. Food intake. During the dry season the water level drops as much as 30 to 50 ft. C. Methods of feeding. Manatees feed off the bottom, in the water column, and at the surface.