RATION LEVEL AND TEMPERATURE PREFERENCE OF AMERICAN PLAICE

This study examined the effect of ration level on the temperature pref erence of American plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides. One group of fish was maintained on high rations while another group was tested fol lowing 6 weeks on reduced rations. Fish on reduced rations selected si gnificantly lower temperatures than those on high rations, however the difference was not great (a mode of 1.2-degrees-C for fish on reduced rations versus a mode of 1.8-degrees-C for fish on high rations). Fur ther depriving the fish by starving them for 4 weeks following 10 week s on reduced rations did not result in any further reduction in select ed temperature. Although fish in this study were on low rations or sta rved for an extended period of time this did not result in a large cha nge in the temperature selected compared to high ration fish.