Effect of Temperature and Feeding Regime on the Specific Growth Rate of Sockeye Salmon Fry (Oncorhynchus nerka), with a Consideration of Size Effect

Abstract

Specific growth rates were obtained for sockeye fry (Oncorhynchus nerka) acclimated to four temperatures and fed excess ration over a 36-day period, starting at an initial weight of 0.4 g. The rates were 2.2 (5 C), 5.1 (10 C), 6.5 (15 C), and 6.1 (20 C)% wet weight/day. Continuous feeding for 15 hr/day at 20 C produced a significantly greater growth rate than feeding to satiation three times daily (P < 0.05). The growth rates are compared to those obtained for larger sockeye, determined in earlier experiments.