Feed training and intensive production of advanced largemouth bass fingeriings: A review

Abstract

A review of published scientific and hatchery production data concerning the feed training of largemouth bass and their culture to advanced fingeriings is presented. The review concludes that largemouth bass can be trained successfully to accept a prepared diet The best training diet is a semimoist formulation. The optimal training size is 1.0 g 05 to 50 mm) and stocking density is 4 to 8 kg/m 3 of water. Bass fry between 10 and 20 mm can be trained to a prepared diet, but with a lower success rate and greater expense. Training success is greatest using northern strain largemouth bass fingeriings. In a 10-to 14-d training period, approximately 70% of the fish stocked will be trained. Approximately 65% of the fingeriings trained to a semimoist pellet can be converted to a dry, floating pellet suitable for pond grow-out Fish growth rate during training is approximately 0.05 g/d.Largemouth bass are stocked into ponds at 25,000 to 50,000/ha and fed a floating trout pellet at 5 to 10% of their body weight daily. At the end of the first growing season, bass should reach 75 to 100 g with a growth rate of 0.5 g/d and 75% survival. Yields in static water ponds without aeration are unlikely to surpass 2000 kg/ha. Yields over 4000 kg/ha have been obtained in ponds with aeration and water exchange. Northern strain largemouth bass appear best for intensive culture to advanced fingeriings.

Feed training of peacock bass (Cichla sp.)

“…The feed training of the piscivorous largemouth bass, the most popular fish in the United States sport fish industry, is a current practice, and illustrates the potential of feed training carnivorous species in general (Howick & O'Brien, 1983). It is possible to produce up to 123 kg/ha when largemouth bass is bred together with foraging fish (Sloane & Lovshin, 1995). However, when trained to accept dry, pelletized commercial feeds and produced in ponds under intensive feeding practices, productivity of largemouth bass ranges from 2,700 to 7,281 kg/ ha in a 117 to 153 days growing period, with 82% survival and food conversion rate between 1.07 and 1.50 (Kubitza, 1995a;1995b, Sloane & Lovshin, 1995.…”

“…It is possible to produce up to 123 kg/ha when largemouth bass is bred together with foraging fish (Sloane & Lovshin, 1995). However, when trained to accept dry, pelletized commercial feeds and produced in ponds under intensive feeding practices, productivity of largemouth bass ranges from 2,700 to 7,281 kg/ ha in a 117 to 153 days growing period, with 82% survival and food conversion rate between 1.07 and 1.50 (Kubitza, 1995a;1995b, Sloane & Lovshin, 1995.…”

“…The efficiency of conditioning can be estimated by the Retention of Feed Behavior (RTB), expressed as the percentage of the total number of feeders harvested in relation to the total number of fish stocked (Anderson, 1974). The development of novel techniques made possible, for instance, to increase the values of RTB of black bass from 40% in the 60's to 99.5% in the 90's (Snow, 1968;Anderson, 1974;Flickinger et al, 1975;Brandenburg et al, 1979;Williamson, 1981;Sloane & Lovshin, 1995).…”

“…In GTFI, feed texture and flavor are gradually altered, and ingredients are adequately mixed, which avoids food selectivity and rejection compared to the other strategies (Kubitza, 1995a;Sloane & Lovshin, 1995). Kubitza & Cyrino (1997) trained peacock bass to feed on pellets containing 10% ground fish flesh (GFF) using GTFI with 60% success.…”

“…Moist feed is more expensive, require refrigerated storage and are inadequate to be used in automatic feeders, but allow better survival rates and feed training success than dry feed. Therefore it is appropriately used during the culture of fry and fingerling of carnivorous fish (Lewis et al, 1969;Brandt et al, 1987;Kubitza, 1995a;Sloane & Lovshin, 1995;Ono, 1996;Kubitza & Lovshin, 1997b).…”