The relationship between growth, food conversion and oxygen consumption in developed and underdeveloped American eels, Anguilla rostrata Lesueur

This study examined the influence of body size and temperature on oxygen consumption and food converstion in juvenile American eels ( Anguilla rostrata ). The weight-specific oxygen consumption rate for underdeveloped eels (18 months old) was significantly higher than the weight-specific oxygen consumption rate of developed eels of the same weight (6 months old). Oxygen consumption rates increased linearly with weight at each experimental temperature (15, 20, 25°C) when data were transformed logarithmically. No significant differences were found among slopes oflog transformed data at varying temperatures. Oxygen consumption was significantly higher at night (2300 h) as compared to morning (0900 h). The results indicate that underdeveloped eels use more energy and use less food less efficiently than developed eels.