Determination of optimum feeding rate expressed as percent of body weight in Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the best feeding rates expressed as percent of body weight in Persian sturgeon fingerlings at different body weights. Eighteen fiberglass tanks each holding 30 fingerlings with an average initial body weight of 19.45 ± 0.5 g were used in this experiment. Six different feeding trials (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 percent of body weight) were employed and each trial was run in three replicates through a period of 60 days (4 periods of 15 days). The results were analyzed using Statgragh software and compared using Duncan test. The optimum recommended feeding rate was 4 percent of body weight for an increase of body weight from 19.5 to 31g and 3 percent of body weight for an increase of body weight from 33 to 47g. For an increase in body weight from 47 to 90g the recommended feeding rate was 3 percent of body weight. The recommended doses are subject to alteration with variation in water temperature.