ARTICLE IN PRESS

Journal of Thermal Biology 34 (2009) 276–280

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Journal of Thermal Biology

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The effects of water temperature and ration size on growth and body
composition of fry of common carp, Cyprinus carpio
A.S. Desai, R.K. Singh 
Taraporevala Marine Biological Research Station, New Administrative Building, 3rd Floor, Government Colony, Bandra (East), Mumbai 400051, India

a r t i c l e in f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Experiment was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of varying water temperature and
Received 6 January 2009 ration size on growth and body composition of fry of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Common carp
Accepted 16 March 2009 fry with an initial body weight (BW) of 0.86 g were fed a diet (34.9% protein, 18.3 KJ/g diet) at four ration
sizes 4%, 5%, 6% and 7% of their body weight per day and reared at two water temperatures 28 and 32 1C
Keywords: for 60 days. Fry fed with 6% ration showed the highest mean final body weight at 28 1C. Final body
Cyprinus carpio fry weight was significantly (Po0.05) affected by ration and temperature. Cyprinus carpio fry raised at 28 1C
Temperature had higher feed efficiency (FE) (44.36%) than the fry reared at 32 1C (40.98%) with 4% ration. Further,
Ration feed efficiency decreased with increase in ration levels in both temperatures. Protein efficiency ratio
Growth
(PER) was higher (1.26) at 28 1C than at 32 1C (1.17). At 6% ration, common carp fry showed highest
Body composition
specific growth rate (SGR) (3.82%/day) at 28 1C as compared with at 32 1C (3.57%/day). A linear increase
in protein and lipid contents was evident with increasing ration levels up to 6% body weight at both
temperatures 28 and 32 1C. Second-order polynomial regression analysis of weight gain and SGR
indicated the breakpoints at ration level 6.04% and 6.08% body weight per day at 28 and 32 1C.
Hepatosomatic index (HSI) not affected by temperature and ration size while, viscerosomatic index
(VSI) influenced (Po0.05) by ration size and temperature. Based on the above results, it may be
concluded that 6% BW/day ration is optimal for growth of Cyprinus carpio fry at both the temperatures
28 and 32 1C.
& 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction maintenance requirement of fingerling Indian major carp, Labeo

rohita (Hamilton). He observed that ration size 6.5–7.0% body
Water temperature, feeding rates and fish size are the three weight per day is optimum for growth and efficient feed
important factors affecting the growth of fish (Brett, 1979), hence utilization of L. rohita. Zhen-Yu et al. (2006) reported that among
to determine the optimal feeding rate at specific water tempera- the different rations tried 2% body weight per day showed higher
ture is prerequisite to the success of aquaculture production. growth in juvenile grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella. Ng et al.
Jobling (1993) reported that growth rate increased in higher water (2000) found that feeding rate of 2.5% body weight per day is
temperature, and noted that when the temperature becomes optimum for good growth of bagrid catfish, Mystus nemurus.
super optimal, it has a negative impact instead of a simulator Freshwater aquaculture in Asia is mainly carp based and accounts
influence. In culture practices, feeding fish presents particular for about 89% of total aquaculture production (Rao and Satishku-
difficulties mainly ensuring that all the feed distributed in the mar, 2006). Worldwide production of the common carp, Cyprinus
water is effectively eaten. Feed requirements of fish vary in carpio contributes more to the freshwater fishery yield than any
relation to parameter like temperature (Guillaume et al., 2001). other species (FAO, 2006). The objective of the present study was
Growth of Pollack, Pollachius pollachius juveniles was reported to to determine optimum ration size, growth and body composition
have increased from 9 1C up to at 15 1C followed by a decrease of fry of common carp, C. carpio at two water temperatures.
from 18 1C (Ruyet et al., 2006). Khan et al. (2004) studied the
effect of ration size on growth, conversion efficiency and body
composition of fingerling mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) and
2. Materials and methods
found that feeding in the range of 5–5% body weight per day (BW/
day) is optimum for growth. Ahmed (2007) worked on effect of
2.1. Test animal and experimental system
ration size on growth, body composition and energy and protein

Fry of common carp, C. carpio (0.8470.02 g) were obtained

 Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +91 22 26516816. from Government Fish Seed Farm, Mumbai, India. They were
E-mail address: [email protected] (R.K. Singh). acclimated to laboratory conditions in a plastic circular pool of

0306-4565/$ - see front matter & 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2009.03.005
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
A.S. Desai, R.K. Singh / Journal of Thermal Biology 34 (2009) 276–280 277

710 L capacity for 1 week and fed a mixture of groundnut oil cake (VSI), respectively. The moisture, crude protein, lipid and ash
and rice bran (1:1) to satiation. The average water temperature in contents of the diet and fishes were determined by AOAC (1990).
the tank was 28 1C. Daily removal of 25% water from plastic tank
and experimental glass aquaria was done to remove uneaten food 2.4. Growth parameters
and excreta and replenishment of same volume of fresh water.
Experiment was conducted in glass aquaria (24 numbers) of 40.5 L
(1) Daily weight gain (g) ¼ [mean final body weightmean initial
capacity with 20 fry in each aquarium. The mean initial weight of
body weight]/number of days.
common carp fry at the time of stocking in each treatment is
(2) Weight gain (%) ¼ [final body weightinitial body weight]/
depicted in Table 2. Two experimental temperatures, 28 and 32 1C,
initial body weight  100.
were adjusted by using thermostatic water heaters (Resun, range In W 1  100
(3) Specific growth rate ðSGRÞ ð%=dayÞ ¼ In W 2  ,
16–32 1C) in 12 tanks each. Four ration sizes of same diet were T
tested at each temperature having three replicates. The fry were where W2 – final weight, W1 – initial weight and T –
acclimated for 1 week at each temperature before the start of duration in days.
experiment. The experiment conducted for 60 days. (4) Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) (%) ¼ [wet weight gain/dry
weight of feed (g)]  100.
2.2. Diet preparation and feeding trail (5) Protein efficiency ratio (PER) ¼ increment in body weight (g)/
protein intake (g).
The formulation and proximate composition of the experi- (6) Hepatosomatic index ¼ [weight of liver/total weight of
mental diet is shown in Table 1. Feed was provided at 4%, 5%, 6% fish]  100.
and 7% of body weight per day to randomly assigned triplicate (7) Viscerosomatic index ¼ [weight of viscera/total weight of
groups of fish. Fishes were given their daily rations divided into fish]  100.
two equal meals per day at 9:00 and 17:00 h. The ingredients of
diet were mixed thoroughly and an aliquot of water were added to
the mixture. The resulting dough was cooked for 15 min in a
pressure cooker. After cooling, the dough was pelletized by using a 2.5. Analysis of data
hand pelletizer. Pellets of 1 mm size were dried at 40 1C. The dried
diet was then stored in airtight plastic bottles. Diet with varying Statistical evaluation of these results was done by two-way
ration rates was tested on fry kept at two different temperatures analysis of variance (Snedecor and Cochran, 1967). Significant
with three replicates each. After every 15 days, all fishes from each difference among means was determined by Duncan’s multiple
aquarium were weighed individually for recording weight. range test (Duncan, 1955). Second-degree polynomial fitting
(Y ¼ a+bX+cX2) was used as presented by Sancheti and Kapoor
2.3. Body composition analysis (1981).

Before the start of the experiment, 30 stocked fry were killed,

weighed and these were kept frozen at 20 1C for subsequent 3. Results
initial body composition analysis. At the end of the experiment,
five fishes from each replicate were sacrificed for the analysis of 3.1. Growth, feed conversion
proximate composition of whole body and another five fishes
from each aquarium, were dissected and liver and viscera weighed Mean weight gain of C. carpio fry increased linearly
to determine hepatosomatic index (HSI) and viscerosomatic index (7.6970.1 g) at 28 1C and (6.6570.2 g) at 32 1C, respectively, with
enhanced feeding ration up to 6% (Table 2) but no further increase
Table 1 (P40.05) was observed when feeding ration was increased
Ingredients and proximate composition of experimental diet. beyond 6%. Two-way ANOVA indicated that temperature and
ration had significant effect (Po0.05) on mean weight gain of C.
Ingredients %
carpio fry (Table 4). Specific growth rate (SGR) for fish fed 4%
Fish meal 25
ration was 2.72%/day at 28 1C and 2.13%/day at 32 1C and this
Groundnut cake 23 increased to 3.82%/day and 3.57%/day when fishes were fed at 6%
Rice bran 34 ration at 28 and 32 1C, respectively (Table 2). Feed efficiency
Cod liver oil 9 differed significantly among the varying rations and decreased
Tapioca flour 8
significantly (Po0.05) when ration levels were increased to 7% at
Vitamina and mineral mixtureb 1
both 28 and 32 1C. Higher feed conversion efficiency (44.36%) was
Proximate composition (%)
recorded at 28 1C as compared with 32 1C (40.98%) (Table 2).
Moisture 5.20
Crude protein 34.9 Protein efficiency ratio was highest in fish fed 4% ration (1.26) at
Fat 14.15 28 1C and (1.17) at 32 1C, and it decreased with increasing feeding
Ash 15.27 rations (Table 2). C. carpio fry fed 4% ration at 28 and 32 1C had
Carbohydrate 30.48 significantly lower viscerosomatic index (VSI) than fish fed higher
Energy (KJ/g)c 18.39
ration levels where as hepatosomatic index (HSI) did not differ
a
Vitamin premix contained the following vitamins per kilogram feed: vitamin
much among treatments (Table 3). Second-order polynomial
A, 5500 IU; vitamin D3, 1000 IU; vitamin E, 50 IU; vitamin K3 10 IU; choline regression analysis was applied to study the relationship
chloride, 550 mg; niacin, 100 mg; riboflavin, 20 mg; thiamin, 20 mg; pantothenic between ration rate and mean weight gain, specific growth rate
acid, 50 mg; biotin, 0.1 mg; folacin, 5 mg; cyanocobalmin (B12), 20 mg; vitamin C, and feed efficiency and was expressed as Y ¼ a+bX+cX2. The value
100 mg; inositol, 100 mg.
b of X that corresponds to Ymax was defined as the maximum level
Mineral premix contained the following minerals as mg per kg feed: NaCl,
257; MgSO4, 3855; Na2H2PO4, 6425; KH2PO4, 8224; Ca (H2PO4)2, 13,540; FeC6H5O7, of the ration that produces optimum growth beyond which
642.5; ZnSO4, 90.7; MnSO4, 41.6; CuSO4, 7.97; CoCl2, 0.26; KlO3, 0.77. growth decreased (Table 5). Using the second-order polynomial
c
Energy (KJ/g) was calculated by Cuzon and Guillaume (1997). regression analysis model, the optimal feeding ration for C. carpio
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
278 A.S. Desai, R.K. Singh / Journal of Thermal Biology 34 (2009) 276–280

Table 2
Mean body weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion efficiency (FCE), protein efficiency ratio (PER) of Cyprinus carpio fry fed different levels of ration at two
water temperatures.

Temperature 28 1C 32 1C

Ration (wt%/day) 4 5 6 7 4 5 6 7

Initial body weight (g) 0.8670.02 0.8670.02 0.8670.02 0.8670.02 0.8670.02 0.8670.02 0.8670.02 0.8670.02
Final body weight (g) 4.4070.1a 6.7570.1b 8.5570.1c 7.0670.2d 3.1070.1a 5.6070.1b 7.3670.2c 6.4670.1d
Mean weight gain (g) 3.5470.2a 5.8970.2b 7.6970.1c 6.2070.3d 2.2470.1a 4.7470.2b 6.6570.2c 5.6070.1d
Average daily growth (g) 0.05970.03a 0.09870.03b 0.12870.02c 0.10370.05d 0.03770.03a 0.07970.03b 1.1170.04c 0.09370.04d
Weight gain (%)1 41177.9a 68475.9b 89479.4c 720710.9d 26074.7a 551714.5b 756715.4c 651717.3d
SGR (%/day)2 2.7270.02a 3.4370.03b 3.8270.04c 3.5070.02c 2.1370.02a 3.1270.03b 3.5770.02a 3.3670.04c
PER3 1.2670.06a 1.1570.05a 1.0270.03b 0.6670.01c 1.1770.01a 1.1370.02a 1.0570.01b 0.6570.02c
FCE (%)4 44.3670.80a 40.3770.35b 35.8170.29c 23.2370.23d 40.9871.75a 39.7570.28a 36.9070.29b 22.6070.23c
Survival (%) 9875.65a 9875.90a 9975.90a 9975.90a 9775.45a 9875.90a 9875.90a 987 5.90a

*Results are mean of triplicate estimations 7S.E. Means in the same row with different superscripts are significantly (Po0.05) different.

9 50
6.04 4

8
45
MEAN WEIGHT GAIN (g)

Feed Coversion Efficiency (%)

28°C
6 40

32°C
5
6.08 35
4
30
3

2 25 28°C

1 32°C
3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 20
RATION SIZE (%weight/day)
15
Fig. 1. Second-order polynomial fitting of mean weight gain to ration size of 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5
Cyprinus carpio fry at 28 and 32 1C water temperatures.
RATION SIZE (%weight/day)

Fig. 3. Second-order polynomial fitting of feed conversion efficiency to ration size

of Cyprinus carpio fry at 28 and 32 1C water temperatures.
4 6.04
SPECIFIC GROETH RATE (%/day)

3.5 28°C
During the experiment period, the water pH was found to be in
32°C the range of 7.1–7.2, dissolved oxygen content ranged from 6.0 to
6.08
3 6.4 mg/L and total alkalinity was in the range of 61–63 mg/L.

2.5 3.2. Body composition

2 Whole-body composition of C. carpio fry is shown in Table 3.

The highest protein (15.90%) and lipid (12.05%) contents were
observed at 6% feeding ration at 28 1C while, the lowest protein
1.5
(12.60%) and lipid (10.42%) contents were found in 4% ration at
32 1C. Body protein and lipid contents of C. carpio at 28 and 32 1C
1 increased up to 6% ration and thereafter decreased trend was
3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 found in both temperatures ().
RATION SIZE (% weight/day)

Fig. 2. Second-order polynomial fitting of growth rate to ration size of Cyprinus 4. Discussion
carpio fry at 28 and 32 1C water temperatures.

In the present study, weight gain of C. carpio fry was highest at

fry based on mean weight gain and SGR was estimated to be 6.04% 6% ration at both the temperatures i.e. 28 and 32 1C. Gradual
at 28 1C and 6.08% at 32 1C (Figs. 1 and 2). Feed efficiency for C. increase in mean body weight was observed from 4% to 6% ration
carpio fry estimated at optimum ration level of 4% at both while it decreased at 7% ration at both the temperatures. Daily
temperatures (Fig. 3). The survival ranged between 98% and 99% growth also showed similar trend. Second-order polynomial
at 28 1C, and 97% and 98% at 32 1C. However, there was no fitting also indicated maximal weight gain at 6.04% and 6.08%
significant difference in survival rate among the treatments. ration at 28 and 32 1C, respectively, and that beyond these ration
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
A.S. Desai, R.K. Singh / Journal of Thermal Biology 34 (2009) 276–280 279

Table 3
Proximate composition (in % body weight), Hepatosomatic index (HSI), viscerosomatic index (VSI) of Cyprinus carpio fry.

Temperature 28 1C 32 1C

Ration (% BW/day) Initial 4 5 6 7 4 5 6 7

Moisture 73.6070.41 73.1570.31a 73.3570.45a 73.2570.56a 73.5570.91a 73.1270.16a 73.3970.42a 73.3470.99a 73.3070.28a
Protein 12.4070.29 13.7570.17a 14.7070.47b 15.9070.35c 13.6070.45a 12.6070.15a 12.9070.25a 12.4570.35a 13.0570.53b
Lipid 10.3570.51 11.1070.24a 11.9570.39b 12.0570.31c 10.9570.50d 10.4270.49a 10.5070.51a 10.9070.35b 10.7070.45a
Ash 1.9570.15 1.9570.02a 1.9670.08a 1.9570.06a 1.9670.12a 1.9570.17a 1.9670.08a 1.9470.15a 1.9670.08a
HSI 0.3070.02 0.4070.06a 0.4570.01a 0.3970.02a 0.3570.01a 0.3470.02a 0.4070.01a 0.4570.02a 0.3570.02a
VSI 1.9570.27 2.2070.72a 2.9170.21b 3.1070.86c 3.4571.36d 2.1270.56a 2.7670.69b 3.0970.75c 3.2571.25d

*Results are mean of triplicate estimations 7S.E. Means in the same row with different superscripts are significantly (Po0.05) different.

Table 4 nemurus. The feed conversion efficiency reaches maximum at

Statistical summary of fish body composition, HSI, VSI and mean final body weight about two-third of the maximum ration and then declines (Brett
of Cyprinus carpio fry fed diet with different rations.
and Shelbourn, 1975; Chua and Teng, 1982). This relationship is
Two-way ANOVA well illustrated in the present study. Maximum FCE was recorded
at the optimum ration 4%, which is approximately two-third the
Variation source Temperature Ration Interaction maximum ration (7%) determined for common carp fry at both the
temperatures. The fish fed depleted rations invariably increased
Moisture ns ns ns
Protein s ns ns
their specific dynamic action (SDA); hence, more energy from the
Lipid s s ns ingested food has to be expended in handling the large rations
Ash ns ns ns consumed. This increase in SDA decreases the energy available for
HSI ns ns ns growth and consequently lowers the feed conversion efficiency
VSI s s ns
(Warren and Davis, 1967). Williams and Caldwell (1978) conclude
Mean final body weight s s s
that highest feed conversion efficiency was observed at tempera-
ns: nonsignificant.s: significant at Po0.05. ture–ration combination of 9.5 1C and 8% ration. Whole-body
protein of fish after 60 days of experimental period exhibited no
significant difference (P40.05) for ration levels, but it was
significantly different (Po0.05) for temperature indicating that
levels higher weight gain cannot be achieved (Fig. 1). Khan et al. there is a direct effect of ration on the proximate composition of
(2004) observed that feeding ration 5–5.5% is optimum for growth fish at varying water temperatures. In order to understand the
of C. mrigala (Hamilton). Ration 6.5–7.0% is optimum for good relationship between temperature and ration, the statistical
growth and feed utilization of L. rohita (Ahmed, 2007). Ng et al. analysis with two-way ANOVA was done which indicates that
(2000) reported that among the five rations i.e. 1%, 2%, 3%, 3.5%, 4% temperature affects (Po0.05) protein, lipid, VSI and body weight.
and 5% tested on tropical bagrid catfish, M. nemurus 2.5% ration Ration had significant effect on lipid, VSI and mean final body
showed good growth. In the present study, suppressed growth at weight (Po0.05). Maximum protein content was observed at 4%
4% ration suggests that the bulk of the dietary nutrients were and 6% ration levels in C. mrigala fingerling (Khan et al., 2004)
consumed for maintenance. Similar findings were observed in while Ahmed (2007) found that at 6–8% ration, maximum body
white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus (Hung et al., 1989). protein was recorded in L. rohita. Body lipid varied at different
However, significant increase in SGR with higher feeding ration rations and at both the temperatures in comparison to initial body
of 5% and 6% at both temperatures suggests that large portion lipid. A linear increase in lipid content was evident with
dietary nutrients have gone for growth rather than maintenance. increasing ration levels up to 6% at both temperatures. Similar
Reduced growth at 7% ration can be explained as reduction in the observation was observed by Khan et al. (2004) in C. mrigala and
retention of dietary nutrients when feed intake was high. Ahmed (2007) in L. rohita. In the present study, moisture, Ash and
Williams and Caldwell (1978) observed that 0-grouper English HSI were not significantly influenced (P40.05) either by ration
sole, Parophrys vetulus Girard fed 16% ration at 9.5 1C showed level or temperature. Khan et al. (2004) reported that minimum
better growth rate. Russell et al. (1996) observed that growth rate moisture content was recorded at 4% and 6% ration and ash
of sea bass decreased with increasing temperature. Similar content remained insignificantly different among the ration levels
pattern reported in Salmo trutta (L.) (Elliott, 1979, 1982) and in C. mrigala. Indices of condition, such as HSI and VSI, are often
Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) (Cui and Wootton, 1988). Sahin (2001) in used to assess the nutritional status of fish because they can be
Sea Turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.) found that the growth rate determined easily and quickly, and may provide an indication of
gradually decreased with increasing temperature. The highest PER physiological condition (Cui and Wootton, 1988). The general, lack
can be achieved at minimal ration level. PER decreased with of difference between fish fed 5% and 7% ration suggests that all
increasing feeding rate at both temperatures. Decreased PER with fishes in these treatment groups were adequately fed, but lower
increased feeding ration was observed in grass carp, C. idella HSI and VSI in fish fed 4% ration, provides additional evidence that
(Zhen-Yu et al., 2006) and bagrid catfish, M. nemurus (Ng et al., this ration was suboptimal. Similar differences in the condition
2000). Khan et al. (2004) observed best PER at 4–6% ration in C. indices of fish fed suboptimal ration were reported in rainbow
mrigala (Hamilton). Ahmed (2007) reported better PER at 6–8% trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Storebakken et al., 1991); striped bass,
ration in L. rohita. Result of present study, indicated that optimum Morone saxatilis (Hung et al., 1993) and bagrid catfish, M. nemurus
feed conversion efficiency can be achieved at lower 4% ration at (Ng et al., 2000). Significant effect (Po0.05) of ration levels was
both temperatures and it decreased with increased feeding ration, observed on VSI at both the water temperatures. In conclusion,
similar to the observation reported by Zhen-Yu et al. (2006) in based on body weight gain, 6% ration was optimum for growths of
grass carp, C. idella and Ng et al. (2000) in bagrid catfish, M. C. carpio fry at both temperatures 28 and 32 1C.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
280 A.S. Desai, R.K. Singh / Journal of Thermal Biology 34 (2009) 276–280

Table 5 Cui, Y., Wootton, R.J., 1988. Effects of ration, temperature and body size on the body
Second-order polynomial fitting of ration size: mean weight gain, growth rate and composition, energy content and condition of the minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus
feed efficiency of Cyprinus carpio fry. L.). J. Fish Biol. 32, 749–764.
Cuzon, G., Guillaume, J., 1997. Energy and protein energy ratio. In: D’Abramo, L.R.,
a Variable X: ration size (wt%/day) Conklin, D.E., Akiyama, D.M. (Eds.), Crustacean Nutrition. World Aquaculture
Variable Y: mean weight gain (g) Society, LA, USA, pp. 51–70.
Duncan, D., 1955. Multiple range tests and multiple F-tests. Biometrics 11, 1–42.
28 1C Y ¼ 29.69+12.41X1.03X2
Elliott, J.M., 1979. Energetics of freshwater teleosts. Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond. 44,
Y maximal ¼ 7.69 at X ¼ 6.04
29–61.
32 1C Y ¼ 34.61+13.62X1.12X2
Elliott, J.M., 1982. The effects of temperature and ration size on the growth and
Y maximal ¼ 6.65 at X ¼ 6.08 energetics of salmonid fish in captivity. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 73B (1),
b Variable X: ration size (wt%/day) 81–92.
Variable Y: specific growth rate (%/day) FAO, 2006. Fisheries Statistics. Available from: /www.fao.orgS.
Guillaume, J., Kaushik, S., Bergot, P., Metailler, R., 2001. Nutrition and Feeding of
28 1C Y ¼ 107.86+41.07X3.65X2
Fish and Crustaceans. Praxis, Chichester, UK.
Y maximal ¼ 3.82 at X ¼ 6.04
Hung, S., Lutes, P., Conte, F., Storebakken, T., 1989. Growth and feed efficiency of
32 1C Y ¼ 107.69+41.27X3.68X2 white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) sub-yearlings at different feeding
Y maximal ¼ 3.57 at X ¼ 6.08 rates. Aquaculture 80, 147–153.
c Variable X: ration size (wt%/day) Hung, S., Lutes, P., Shqueir, A., Conte, F.S., 1993. Effects of feeding rate and water
temperature on growth of juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus).
Variable Y: feed conversion efficiency(%)
Aquaculture 115, 227–303.
28 1C Y ¼ 61.161.92X0.46X2
Jobling, M., 1993. Bioenergetics: feed intake and energy partitioning. In: Rankin,
Y maximal ¼ 44.36 at X ¼ 4
J.C., Jensen, F.B. (Eds.), Fish Eco-physiology. Chapman & Hall, London, pp. 1–44.
32 1C Y ¼ 60.532.88X0.30X2 Khan, M.A., Ahmed, I., Abidi, S.F., 2004. Effect of ration size on growth, conversion
Y maximal ¼ 40.98 at X ¼ 4 efficiency and body composition of fingerling mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala
(Hamilton). Aquac. Nutr. 10 (1), 47–53.
Ng, W.K., Lu, K.S., Hashim, R., Ali, A., 2000. Effects of feeding rate on growth, feed
utilization and body composition of a tropical bagrid catfish. Aquac. Int. 8,
19–29.
Rao, L.M., Satishkumar, K., 2006. Effect of squillameal on the growth and nutritive
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temperature on the growth of Pollack (Pollachius pollachius) juveniles.
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