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Abstract
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Compensatory growth response and body composition of male sailfin molly, Poecilia
latipinna subjected to short-term starvation and subsequent feeding were studied for 54 days. Four
feeding schedules were used in this study: C, Control (were fed to apparent satiation throughout the
experiment); T1, Treatment 1 (3 days Starvation and 6 days refeeding); T2, Treatment 2 (6 days
Starvation and 12 days refeeding); T3, Treatment 3 (9 days Starvation and 18 days refeeding). At the
end of the experiment, the starved fish gained a body weight comparable to that of the control fish.
There were no differences in condition factor, specific growth rate and weight gain between the starved
and control fish at the end of the experiment. Daily feed intake was significantly higher in T3 than that
in the control. Short-term starvation did not influence protein, lipid and ash contents. Moisture content
of T2 and T3 fish were significantly higher than those of T1 and control one. The results indicated that
complete compensation occurred in the starved fish and that this species can tolerate to short term
starvation without any significant effects on growth and feeding performance.
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