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An eighteen weeks long experiment was conducted during the month of June to
October, 2002 to observed the effect of different period of starvation and subsequent
refeeding on growth, daily food demand and food conversion ratio of Thai pangs
Pangasius hypophthalmus. Fish maintained in four treatments were either:
fed to satiation twice a day (control-A), fed every alternate day (1:1-B), starved
two days followed by spell of two days feeding (2:2-C) and starved for 5 days
following 5-day feeding (5:5-D) at a sticking density of 100 fingerlings per
decimal at 28±1.54°C. Thai pangas responded to a change from a restricted to
satiation feeding showing a higher daily feed demand compared to their counterparts
raised on a liberal feeding regime. The total feed demand of fish in controlled
treatments was, however, much higher than the fish in the other three treatments.
Nonetheless, fish that fed to satiation on alternate day (1:1) had similar body
weights to the controls and were larger than those exposed to 2 or 5 days of
feed deprivation (2:2 or 5:5). There was no significant difference in specific
growth rate of fish in the treatments A and B over the experimental period.
The highest FCR was found in treatment A (control) where fish were fed to satiation
twice a day. The study provided evidence that Thai pangas would be cultured
in feeding regime with feeding every alternate day without any significant difference
in fish size and final production. As farmers have to give less feed in the
system they can manage water quality in better way.
