Effect of reducing the feeding frequency on the survival, growth, conversion, and feeding behavior of juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar (Linnaeus, 1758): an experience at the productive level

In Chile, most salmon-farming companies feed fish in the parr phase 24 rations/day. However, food can remain in fish stomachs for around four or five hours. Using productive procedures and protocols, this study evaluates less frequent food rations and how they affect the survival, growth, conversion, and feeding behavior of the fish. The study was conducted over four months under normal commercial production conditions, using approximately 1,200,000 fish of 0.17 g each. There were two treatments: the control, which received 24 rations/day, and the assay, which received 12 rations/day at the onset of the study and 4 rations/day at the end of this. Five tanks, each 18 m(3), were used for each treatment. The lower feeding frequency did not affect the survival of Salmo salar. The fish in the assay obtained greater growth and had better food conversion rates. Less food was deposited on the bottom of the assay tanks, and the fish were observed to have better appetites.