EFFECTS OF INITIAL WEIGHT AND GENETIC STRAIN ON FEED TRAINING LARGEMOUTH BASS MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES USING GROUND FISH FLESH AND FREEZE DRIED KRILL AS STARTER DIETS ELSEVIER

F. Kubitza, L.L. Lovshin-1997

Aquaculture, 148: 179-190

Abstract:

Experiment I compared the feed training success of two genetic strains of largemouth bass (LMB). ASF strain had 69% northern and 31% Florida LMB influence, while STATION strain had 35% northern and 65% Florida LMB influence. Both strains were fed ground fish flesh, freeze dried krill (FDK), a commercial moist pellet (BIODIETTM) or a dry pellet with 70% krill meal (KM-70) as starter diets. In experiment 2, fish of 0.6, 0.9 and 1.4 g or 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.4 g initial weight were feed trained using ground fish flesh or FDK, respectively. In both experiments, fish were weaned from the starter diets to a 2 mm trout pellet using gradual feed ingredient transition (GFIT) with diets containing 80, 60, 40, 20, and 0% ground fish or 70, 50, 30, 10, and 0% krill meal. Percent fish feeding on trout pellets (feeders) among ASF bass was 32% and among STATION fish 34% (P > 0.10). Average percent feeders were 58% and 53% starting bass on FDK and ground fish, respectively, compared to only 14% feeders for bass started on KM-70 and 8% feeders among bass started on BIODETTM (P < 0.01). In experiment 2, percent feeders increased from 7 to 52% (P < 0.01) as initial fish weight increased from 0.2 to 1.4 g for fish started on FDK. Percent feeders increased from 59 to 88% (P<0.01) as initial fish weight increased from 0.9 to 1.4 g among fish started on ground fish. Average percent feeders was 75% when ground fish was the starter diet compared to 41% for FDK with 0.9 to 1.4 g fish (P < 0.01).

(ESALQ-USP/DZ. Av. Pádua Dias. 11, Piracicaba, SP. 13418-900, Brazil)

home

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------