Effect of ration, temperature and body weight on growth of black porgy,Sparus macrocephalus (B.)

Growth of black porgy,Sparus macrocephalus, was studied experimentally at four ration levels from starvation to satiation and four temperatures ranging from 14.8 to 26.8°C. At maximum rations, the specific growth rate (SGR) increased with temperature and was a negative linear function of body weight. The relationship between SGR and ration levels was a decelerating curve. Stepwise regression was used to develop the predictive models for the specific growth rates. Maintenance rations and optimum rations both increased with increased temperature. The relationship between maintenance, optimum rations and body weight was influenced by temperature. Conversion efficiencies increased with ration from zero at maintenance ration to a peak at the optimum ration, then declined with further increased ration. Contribution No. 3127 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project 39370542 supported by NSFC and study also supported by National Key Laboratory in the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.