Growth and Survival of Larval and Postlarval Smallmouth Bass Fed a Commercially Prepared Dry Feed and/or Artemia Nauplii

Growth and survival rates of smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieui ) were compared for fishes reared from larval stages, for three weeks using different feeding regimes. Diets consisted of a commercial dry diet formulated for larval fishes, the dry diet plus Artemia salina nauplii, and Artemia salina nauplii alone. Smallmouth bass on the three diets showed average daily gains of 0.7, 0.7 and 0.5 mm/day and 11.0, 11.4 and 5.2 mg/day, respectively. Condition factors for the three diets were not significantly different ( P > 0.05). Mean survival rates were 39, 85 and 77% respectively.