ISSN:
1365-2109
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Female largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides Lacépède, were raised on pelleted feed or a forage diet consisting of goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.). At the start of the present study, forage-fed bass were significantly smaller than pellet-fed bass. Forage-fed bass exhibited a significant increase in body weight, but not length, during the first month of the study; no further increases were seen in subsequent months. Pellet-fed bass did not grow significantly during the course of the study. In forage-fed bass, the gonadosomatic index (GSI) reached maximum levels in March; pellet-fed bass exhibited delayed ovarian recrudescence, reaching peak GSI approximately 4 weeks later than the forage-fed bass. There was no significant difference in the maximum GSI obtained in the two groups of fish. Serum levels of testosterone and oestradiol-17β reflected the pattern of GSI in both groups. Delayed ovarian recrudescence and suppressed serum steroid levels in pellet-fed bass might result from negative feedback effects of elevated levels of steroids found in the pelleted feed. These effects appear to be transient since pellet-fed bass resume ovarian development despite continuing to receive high steroid levels in their feed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2109.1999.00307.x
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