Effect of feeding frequency on food intake and growth of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus L.

Abstract

Social interactions and dominance hierarchy effects are important factors governing rates of growth of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus L. The effects of hierarchy were increased as access to food became more restricted, i.e. feeding frequency was reduced, but these effects could not be attributed to direct competition for food since fish were fed to satiation at each feeding period. The results suggest that, whilst some fish on the restricted feeding regime were able to maintain good rates of growth, feeding by the majority of the fish was inhibited by the presence of larger individuals. Due to the importance of these hierarchy effects it was not possible to demonstrate physiological adaptations in fish allowed infrequent access to food.