The Influence of Feeding Time and Frequency on the Growth, Survival, Feed Conversion, and Body Composition of Channel Catfish,<i>Ictalurus punctatus</i>, Cultured in a Three-Tier, Closed, Recirculating Raceway System

Abstract

ABSTRACT Studies were conducted over two years to establish a feeding strategy which would optimize growth, feed conversion, and survival of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, in three-tier, closed, recirculating raceway systems. Small and large fingerling channel catfish (mean weights of 26 g/fish and 219 g/fish, respectively) were stocked into culture systems and maintained for 70 and 120 days, respectively. Three feeding treatments were examined in this study. The treatments were: channel catfish fed 3% of body weight once daily at 0800; channel catfish fed 3% of body weight once daily at 1700; and channel catfish fed 1.5% of body weight twice daily at 0800 and 1700. Raceway effluent total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) levels 6.5 hours post-feeding for small and large channel catfish in the single feeding treatments were twice (P<0.05) those of channel catfish receiving the daily ration over two feedings. The feeding treatments examined were found not to significantly influence the response variables of the smaller channel catfish (P >0.05). Mean weight gain of the larger channel catfish in the treatment receiving two daily feedings was 10 to 15% greater than channel catfish fed once daily (P< 0.05). Additionally, increased feeding frequency significantly improved specific growth rate and feed conversion rate of channel catfish in the multipass systems (P< 0.05). Body composition was unaltered by feeding regimens (P >0.05). The results of the current study indicate that feeding small fingerling channel catfish (26 g) a total ration once daily, and larger grow-out channel catfish (200 g) twice daily, would be a useful culture strategy in a multipass, closed, recirculating raceway system.