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The compensatory growth response of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) that faced cycling starvation and restricted ration was assessed. Juveniles (10.5 g) were stocked into 15 tanks at a density of 25 fish per tank. Five different feeding regimes were tested on triplicate groups of fish: C Satiation : control fed for 60 days without deprivation, C Restricted : 25% restricted feeding, S-R: 1 day starvation then 4 days C Restricted feeding, R-F: 1 day C Restricted feeding then 4 days C Satiation feeding, and, finally, S-F: 1 day starvation then 4 days C Satiation feeding. The specific growth rate of fish in the C Satiation (2.5 ± 0.06% day À1 ), S-F (2.5 ± 0.11% day À1 ) and R-F (2.4 ± 0.18% day À1 ) were significantly higher than that of C Restricted (2.2 ± 0.05% day À1 ) or S-R (2.0 ± 0.01% day À1 ). Fish in S-F group were able to achieve catching up with the C Satiation . There was no significant difference in feed conversion rates but R-F and S-F consumed approximately 34% more feed than C Satiation following the first re-feeding day. Although, the highest lipid content was observed in C Satiation (14.4%), S-R (33.3% dry matter) had the highest water content compared with the C Satiation and C Restricted (37.8% and 36.9% dry matter respectively). In conclusion, it may be concluded that sea bass has rapid response to cycling starvation/re-feeding and that a 25% restricted feeding ratio is insufficient to invoke a compensatory growth response in sea bass.

Triplicate groups of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata (10.4 g), were distributed among 27 tanks (12 fish per tank) and reared in flow‐through seawater. A factorial experiment (3 × 3) was designed to include a continuously fed control group and two cycled starvation groups: 1 + 3 (starved 1 d, fed 3 d), 1 + 5 (starved 1 d, fed 5 d). Each of the feeding groups was subjected to one of three feeding frequencies (2, 4, and 6 times per day) over the 60‐d experiment duration. The average final weight of fish in 1 + 3 and 1 + 5 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. Partial compensation was observed in the starved groups subjected to any of the three feeding frequencies. Regardless of the feeding frequency, control fish consumed less feed than the starved groups. The highest body protein content was found in the control group. The rate of oxygen consumption significantly increased 30 min after the feeding and the magnitude of the effect increased with the feeding frequency. These results suggest that the present cycling starvation schedules did not invoke a full compensation in gilthead sea bream.

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