GROWTH-PERFORMANCE OF JUVENILE WHITE STURGEON AS AFFECTED BY FEEDING REGIMEN

Juvenile (mean +/- SE, 8.6 +/- 0.1 g) white sturgeon Acipenser transmo ntanus were fed for 8 weeks under one of six feeding regimens: continu ously 24 h/d (C24); continuously 12.8 h/d during the day (C12/D), cont inuously 12.8 h/d at night (C12/N), 6 meals/d (M6), 4 meals/d (M4), an d 2 meals/d (M2). Specific growth rate, feed efficiency, and body lipi d content were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the feeding regime n. These variables were highest in the C24 group and lowest in the M2 group; fish in the M6 group showed the second best performance. Specif ic growth rate and feed efficiency in terms of wet weight in the M6 gr oups were not significantly different from those in the C24 groups, bu t specific growth rate in terms of energy and energy retention efficie ncy were significantly lower. Feeding regimen had no effect on conditi on factor, hepatosomatic index, coefficient of variation in final body weight, and protein and ash contents. There was no significant differ ence in these indexes between 12.8-h/d continuous feeding by day or by night. It was concluded that continuous feeding for 24 h/d was the op timum feeding regimen for juvenile white sturgeon.