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Relationships between feeding, growth and swimming activity of European sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.) post-larvae in the laboratory

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An Erratum to this article was published on 25 November 2014

Abstract

Despite their trophodynamic importance in many aquatic ecosystems, few studies have quantified the feeding-growth relationship of clupeid fishes. In laboratory trials, we quantified the relationship between rates of food consumption (C, % fish energy content (Joules d−1)), somatic growth rate (G, % Joules d−1), and swimming speed (S S, body lengths (bl) s−1) for post-larval (30- to 50-mm standard length) European sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.) collected from the southwestern Baltic Sea. Measurements of G and S S were also made on groups before and after an abrupt shift in prey availability. Maintenance (0-growth) and maximum food consumption rates were 5.5 and 42 % somatic energy content d−1, respectively. Mean ± SE gross growth efficiency (K 1 = 100∙G∙C −1) was 26.9 ± 3.0 %. Unfed post-larvae had markedly lower S S compared to continuously-fed fish (0.1 versus 0.5 to 0.7 bl s−1). After 10 days of re-feeding, one group of previously unfed fish was hyperactive (mean S S of 1.2 bl s−1) but no re-fed groups exhibited hyperphagia (based upon prey numbers), increased K 1, or compensatory growth. Increased competition (relatively high S S) was evident during feeding in fish maintained at low to moderate but not at ad libitum prey levels. Our findings provide estimates of prey resources required to fuel in situ growth and help characterize metabolic strategies of European sprat within variable feeding environments.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Hannes Baumann and Philipp Kanstinger for their help with data collection and for the field capture and rearing of sprat post-larvae. The work complies with animal health and welfare laws (TierSchG, Reg.-Nr. 3/2011 – Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg Behörde für Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz). This research was part of the “GLOBEC-Germany” program funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). Partial funding for this research was also received from the “FACTS” (Forage Fish Interactions, EU FP7, 244966). This research is a contribution of MAP to the Visiting Professor Program at King Saud University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, University of Hamburg, Olbersweg 24, 22767, Hamburg, Germany

    Myron A. Peck, Bianca Ewest, Jens-Peter Herrmann, Sven Stäcker & Axel Temming

  2. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Fahad A. Al-Misned & M. Golam Mortuza

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  1. Myron A. Peck
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Correspondence to Myron A. Peck.

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Peck, M.A., Ewest, B., Herrmann, JP. et al. Relationships between feeding, growth and swimming activity of European sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.) post-larvae in the laboratory. Environ Biol Fish 98, 1117–1127 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-014-0345-5

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