Feeding frequency affects
food consumption, feeding pattern and growth of juvenile yellowtail flounder
(Limanda ferruginea)
K.S. Dwyer, J.A. Brown, Ch. Parrish, S.P. Lall-2002
Aquaculture, 213(1-4): 279-292
Abstract:
Feeding experiments were carried out on juvenile
yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea) (6.8±0.2 g), a candidate
for cold-water aquaculture in eastern North America. At about 7 °C, feeding
frequency was shown to have a significant (P<0.05) effect on food
consumption and growth, with fish fed to apparent satiation in two or four
daily meals consuming more food and growing better than fish fed less often
(once daily and two meals every other day). Fish fed two meals every other
day ate significantly more (P<0.05) in the morning (8.4±0.4 mg)
than in the afternoon (6.0±0.2 mg), whereas there were no differences in
meal sizes between feedings for other groups. Behavioural observations
revealed that fish fed fewer meals per day ingested more pellets per feeding
(1.1±0.1 vs. 0.7±0.1 pellet/min), showed more activity and foraged more
often throughout the day than fish fed four times daily or twice daily (3.5±0.3
vs. 2.1±0.2 behaviour/min). Low incidences of aggression indicated that
yellowtail flounder probably do not form feeding hierarchies; however fish
fed twice daily showed a significant increase in the coefficient of
variation (CV) for body weight over the course of the experiment (P<0.05).
Fish fed twice daily gained significantly more weight (P<0.05) and
had the lowest FCR (0.89), thus it is recommended that fish at this stage of
grow-out be fed twice per day.
(Fisheries and Oceans Canada, North Atlantic
Fisheries Centre, P.O. Box 5667, White Hills, St. John's, Newfoundland,
Canada A1C 5X1, e-mail: dwyerk@dfo-mpo.gc.ca)