Growth, Survival, and Body Composition of Yellow Perch Juveniles Fed Commercial and Experimental Diets

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of commercial and experimental diets on the survival, growth, and body composition of juvenile yellow perch Perca flavescens. In both experiments, fish were fed by hand four to five times a day at a restricted ration of up to 90% satiation for 51 d. In experiment 1, fish (initial weight, 87 6 24 mg) were fed three experimental diets (F1, F2, and a casein–gelatin-based diet) and one commercial diet (Kyowa 400B). In experiment 2, fish (initial weight, 174 6 56 mg) were fed four experimental diets (Kyowa 400B, INVE-NRD, a starter diet from BioOregon, and a starter diet from Purina). In both experiments, the growth performance of yellow perch juveniles was significantly affected by dietary treatments. In experiment 1, fish fed Kyowa 400B and the casein–gelatinbased diet grew significantly faster than those fed the F1 and F2 diets. However, survival was significantly lower in fish fed the casein–gelatin-based diet than in those fed the other dietary treatments. In experiment 2, fish fed the INVE-NRD diet exhibited the best growth performance. Survival was not affected by dietary treatments. In both experiments, the proximate composition of fish among dietary treatments reflected the proximate composition of the diet. Our results indicate that satisfactory growth of yellow perch juveniles can be achieved using commercial and experimental diets