Compensatory growth of Sobaity (Sparidentex hasta) and yellowfin seabreams (Acanthopagrus latus) relative to feeding rate during nursery phase

Abstract

A 60‐day study was conducted to investigate the compensatory growth (CG) responses of sobaity (Sparidentex hasta) and yellowfin (Acanthopagrus latus) seabreams to restricted feeding ration and normal feeding ration phases during the nursery period. Fry stage of S. hasta and A. latus with initial weight (BWi) of 1 and 0.8 g, respectively, were fed a commercial diet at five ration levels (RL) including 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% of their BWi over a period of 30 days (restricted‐ration phase) and then re‐fed up to visual satiation for another 30 days (normal‐ration period). According to the second‐degree polynomial relationship between specific growth rate and RL, the maintenance, optimum and maximum feeding rates for SGR in S. hasta were estimated to be 0.5%, 3.5% and 8.2%; meanwhile in A. latus, they were 0.3%, 4% and 8%, respectively. At the end of the normal‐ration phase, final body weight (BWf) of S. hasta fed at 10% RL was higher than the other treatments. In addition, A. latus fed at 6% and 8% RL showed full CG regarding BWf compared with fish fed at 10% RL. The findings of this study confirmed partial CG in S. hasta and full CG in A. latus after re‐feeding period.