Demand‐feeding behaviour and diel pattern of feeding activity in Oncorhynchus mykiss held under different photoperiod regimes

Abstract

Demand‐feeding behaviour was studied in Oncorhynchus mykiss held at 7–10°C in groups of 30 individuals, under a 16:8, 12:12 or 8 : 16 light : dark regime, using self‐feeders connected to a computer. The daily food demand was variable between tanks from 1.5 to 5% of the body weight, the specific growth rate ranged between 1.4 and 2.6% of body weight increase per day, and the feed: gain ratio ranged between 0.84 and 3.17, regardless of the photoperiod length. More than 98% of the feeding demand occurred during the photophase, regardless of the photoperiod, with a main peak at dawn and an occasional peak at dusk.