The energy requirements of percid fish in culture

• In commercial aquaculture, knowledge about and means for predicting growth rates, feed intake and energy requirements of the farmed animal in different conditions is essential for the viability of the enterprise. As percid fish species are relatively new in culture, there are no models available to estimate the energy requirement of the cultured fish, which in turn limits the opportunities to calculate the required daily feed allowance. Classical bioenergy budgets are often used to describe energy intake in relation to different energy expenditures of fish by quantifying steps where energy expenditures occur. However, in commercial aquaculture the objective is to optimize the output (growth) in relation to the energy intake, e.g. where energy expenditures occur is less important. In this chapter, we put together data from the scientific literature to produce an alternative model for prediction of the daily growth and energy need of percid fish in general and Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in particular. A practice for calculating the daily feed allowance is presented where local rearing conditions can be taken into account. This makes the model applicable to commercial enterprises and may improve feed management, fish growth and thus economics of the fish farms. This chapter also discusses how factors such as season and culture conditions influence the energy requirements and energy expenditures of the percid fish.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Eurasian perch

Perca fluviatilis

Energetics

Growth

Feed intake

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kap (subject category)