Energy and ration requirements of juvenile Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) based on energy consumption and growth rates

Growth of captive juvenile Pacific halibut was linearly related to energy consumption (J g^?1 day^?1) at 4°C by the following equation: growth (% body weight (b.w.) day^?1)=0–007 (consumption J g^?1 day^?1)– 0.192; r² =0.81. Weight gain was independent of size for fish between 9 and 7000 g when growth was expressed as a function of consumption in J g^?1 day^?1. Maintenance ration determined in feeding–growth experiments averaged 27.4 J g^?1 day^?1 at 4–0°C. Small halibut ate significantly more food than large fish. Single meals following 2 day fasts averaged 4.1% b.w. for halibut under 100 g, 1.72% b.w. for 1.2 kg fish and 1.1% B.W. for 6.8 kg fish. Both large and small size categories of halibut tended to evacuate their meal in about 3 days even though small fish ate relatively larger meals. Minimum estimates for daily ration to achieve growth rates observed in the Gulf of Alaska were approximately 0.5 to 2.4% b.w. day^?1 depending on fish size and whether northern shrimp or yellowfin sole were their prey.