| Popis: |
The experiment was carried out in a coastal lake near Bergen, Norway. Two experimental groups of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) yearlings were fed with live zooplankton in an artificial current. A third group, given commercial dry food pellets, was used as a control. The offered zooplankton biomass reached a maximum in the second week of July. The caladoceran Daphnia longispina dominated the zooplankton at this moment. A stock breakdown for this species was soon observed. The salmon yearlings preferred cladocerans. At the height of the zooplankton occurrence, Daphnia became the only prey species observed in the stomachs — and a prey selection for larger individuals was observed when food was in surplus. Earlier in the period the salmon selected the largest individuals of two cladoceran species of different shape, pigmentation and size at the same time. In the experiment live zooplankton was recognised as a satisfactory food when it occurred in sufficient amounts, compared with commercial fry food pellets. Best mean growth rate of zooplankton-fed fish was 0.92 mm/day. Negative growth rate was observed when low zooplankton densities occurred. |
