Abstract
Fingerling black bullheads and subadult channel catfish were given various amounts of feed in different sections of earthen ponds subdivided with hardware cloth. A number of factors were investigated to determine their effects on gains in weight of individual fish. Both species made greater gains at higher rates of supplemental feeding, but gains were not directly proportional to the amount of feed used. Gains of male black bullheads relative to those of females varied with food supply. In groups having the least food, males and females made similar gains; in groups having the most food, the gains of males were far greater than those of females. Differences in initial weight had little effect on gains made by male bull-heads, but gains by females were highly correlated with initial weight. Gains were more highly correlated with initial weight for channel catfish than for black bullheads. The relation of gain to sex in channel catfish was not determined. The relationship of gain to initial weight was a function of food supply in both species (correlation coefficients were low and often negative in groups having the least food; groups having the most food had high positive r-values). Gains were not significantly influenced by differences between ponds or among sections of ponds, by the number of times fish were handled, or by the particular combination of fins removed for marking purposes. Parasitism was slight, and proportional to size of fish.
Published Version
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