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Title
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Compensatory growth in sub-yearling Siberian sturgeon, Acipenser baerii Brandt, 1869: Effects of starvation and refeeding on growth, feed utilization and body composition
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Abstract
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The capacity of sub-yearling Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser
baerii Brandt, 1869) (19.7 0.8 g) to show compensatory
growth was assessed for a 40-day period for the effects of
short-term starvation and refeeding on growth, feeding performance
and body composition. After acclimation, 25
experimental fish were randomly distributed among twelve
500-L cylindrical fiberglass tanks with a flow-through system.
The fish were subjected to four different feeding
regimes: control, which was fed four times daily to apparent
satiation; T1: four periods of 2 days starvation alternating
with 8 days re-feeding; T2: two periods of 4 days starvation
alternating with 16 days refeeding; T3: an 8 days starvation
period followed by 32 days refeeding. At the end of the
experiment, the deprived fish attained body weights comparable
to those attained by the control fish. There were no
differences in growth and feeding performances between the
deprived and the control fish. Total protein and lipid contents
of the control fish were significantly higher than that
of T1 and T2 fish at the end of the experiment (P < 0.05). A
significant difference in the energy content was observed
between T2 and the control. Siberian sturgeon exhibited
complete compensation, indicating a high ability of the
deprived fish to grow sufficiently to fully compensate for
weight loss during starvation. The results suggested that the
feeding schedule involving starvation–refeeding cycles could
be a promising feed management option for the culture of
this species.
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