To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying digestion and absorption in the intestine of the darkbarbel catfish (Pelteobagrus vachellii), we studied the intestinal transcriptome between day and nightâtime. In this study, two triplicate groups of P. vachellii (1.05 ± 0.36 g) were fed either at 08:00 (D24 group), control) or 20:00 (W24 group) with the same amount of commercial feed. A significant increase of the apparent digestibility (AD) of protein and lipid was observed in the night group (p < 0.05). Comparison of gene expression levels revealed that 1,125 genes were significantly upâregulated and 364 genes were significantly downâregulated in the night group. Among them, 54 digestionâ and absorptionârelated genes, apolipoprotein AâI, trypsin 1b, solute carrier family 26 member 6 b, sodium/glucose cotransporter 1, cholecystokinin B, maltaseâglucoamylase, diacylglycerol Oâacyltransferase 2, ATPâbinding cassette subfamily A member 1âlike and phospholipase A2, etc., were upâregulated. Additionally, in the night group, 18 carbohydrate metabolismârelated genes, 17 protein metabolismârelated genes and 16 lipid metabolismârelated genes were upâregulated, including fatty acidâbinding protein, diacylglycerol Oâacyltransferase 2, adipose triglyceride lipase, phospholipase A2, glucose phosphate isomerase, glycogen phosphorylase, arginaseâ2, dâaminoâacid oxidase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glycine nâacyltransferase, tryptophan 2,3âdioxygenase, kynureninase, cysteine dioxygenase type 1 and glycine dehydrogenase. The results indicated that a shift in feeding time from day to night may improve the digestion and absorption of proteins and lipids. Moreover, the amino acid metabolism, triglyceride synthesis, gluconeogenesis may be also influenced by the shifted feeding time.