Effects of Different Feeding Regimes on Growth Rates and Fatty Acid Composition of Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricans at High Water Temperatures

Abstract

As the northern Largemouth bass (LMB) (Micropterus nigricans) industry shifts toward fingerling production, implementing practical feeding strategies to ensure efficient growth during high water temperatures is paramount. Twenty (12.7 ± 0.2 g) (Trial 1) and fifteen (7.2 ± 0.1 g) (Trial 2) LMB fingerlings were stocked in two recirculating systems (each containing nine tanks), acclimated to 30 °C, with one system fed daily rations of 3, 5 and 7% body weight (Trial 1), and the second system fed to satiation daily, every second day, or every third day (Trial 2), for 28 days each. All treatments were triplicated. Multiple growth metrics and lipid composition were analyzed. The 3% treatment yielded the lowest final average weight (36.05 g) and FCR (0.83), with no difference in final biomass in Trial 1 treatments. Fish fed to satiation daily and every second day produced FCRs and biomasses of 0.83 and 356.78 g, and 0.93 and 272.26 g, respectively. There were no differences in total lipid concentration, however, fatty acid profiles differed significantly between all treatments within their respective trials. Feeding LMB fingerlings 3% of total body weight or feeding daily to satiation allows for efficient growth at 30 °C and implements cost-effective feeding strategies.

Different Starch Sources Affect the Growth Performance and Hepatic Health Status of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) in a High-Temperature Environment

“…China is also sensitive to global warming, with an average temperature rise of 0.22 • C per decade [2]. The warmer temperatures over time will inevitably lead to higher water temperatures, and increased water temperature adversely affects the growth and survival of several fish species [3,4]. Therefore, in recent years, researchers have paid increasing attention to the heat stress response mechanisms in fish [5].…”