THE EFFECT OF FEEDING LEVEL ON GROWTH AND FEED CONVERSION IN SILVER SEA BREAM, SPARUS-SARBA

A 40-day experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding level on growth and feed conversion efficiency in silver sea bream wit h an average initial body weight of 86 g. The fish were fed a commerci al feed at different feeding rates from 1.0 to 2.5% (with O. 5% increm ents) of body wet weight per day (w/day) at 23.1 +/- 1.1 degrees C. Ea ch feeding rate was administered to groups of 20 fish. Growth rate, as measured by the percent body weight increase, and condition factor in creased with increasing ration. Feed efficiency was better at 1.5% rat ion. There was no difference in feed efficiency between fish fed 2.0 a nd 2.5% w/day, under the applied meal programme. Based on the growth a nd feed efficiency data, optimum feeding rate was estimated to be 1.22 % w/day.