Effect of feeding frequency on growth and food conversion of Cyprinus carpio fry

Cyprinus carpio fry (173 ± 38 mg) were fed 6 times a day, 3 times a day, 2 times a day, once a day, once in 2 days, once in 3 days or given no food at all for a total period of 21 days. Food consumption by the group fed 3 times a day was maximum (45.6 gcal^*/meal) and the level of consumption per meal was very low in the remaining groups.

Feeding rate increased to a maximum (598.2 gcal g^?1 day^?1) in fry fed 3 times a day; a further increase in feeding frequency reduced the feeding rate. Feeding frequency influenced all bioenergetic parameters except absorption efficiency which remained constant at 97.7%. Although the growth efficiency did not change significantly in the groups fed very frequently (2 times a day or more), the growth rate was maximum in the group fed 3 times a day. With regard to both feeding and growth, a feeding schedule of 3 times a day seemed to be optimum and was suggested for practical nursery culture of Cyprinus carpio.