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Individual variations and interrelationships in feeding rate, growth rate, and spontaneous activity in hybrid tilapia ( O reochromis niloticus × O . aureus ) at different feeding frequencies
Author(s) -
Dong G. F.,
Yang Y. O.,
Yao F.,
Chen L.,
Bu F. Y.,
Li P. C.,
Huang F.,
Yu D. H.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.12669
Subject(s) - oreochromis , biology , tilapia , growth rate , zoology , fish <actinopterygii> , nile tilapia , fishery , food science , ecology , mathematics , geometry
Summary A 30‐day growth trial was conducted to investigate the individual variations in feeding rate, growth rate, spontaneous activity, and their possible interrelationships in hybrid tilapia ( O reochromis niloticus × O . aureus ) reared individually at feeding frequencies of one and two meals daily. Results show that the feeding rate in energy ( FR e), specific growth rate in energy ( SGR e), and food conversion efficiency ( FCE ) of fish fed twice a day were significantly higher than that of fish fed only once. However, no significant differences in distance or in time spent swimming were observed between the groups. SGR e was positively correlated with FR e in fish fed only once daily, and SGR e was positively correlated with food conversion efficiency in energy ( FCE e) between the two groups. SGR e was only inversely correlated with the distance that fish swam when fed once daily. The results suggest that the individual growth differences of hybrid tilapia could be attributed mainly to variations in FR e, and that the energy costs of spontaneous activity play an important role in the differences at feeding frequency of one meal a day. However, at feeding frequencies of two meals a day, individual growth differences in fish may be caused by variations in FCE e, and energy costs of spontaneous activity have only marginal effects on the differences.