The effect of food competition and relative size of group members on growth of juvenile gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata

The effects of food competition and relative size of group members on growth of sea bream, Sparus aurata were tested in groups composed of four fish. Each group consisted of a medium sized test fish (approximately 250 mg) and three fish larger or smaller than the test fish. In the first experiment food competition was addressed directly by contrasting its presence with its absence. Neither food competition nor relative size of school members had a significant effect on growth. However, there was a highly significant interaction between these two main effects. Under conditions of food competition the medium sized test fish had a three times higher specific growth rate when surrounded by small vs large fish. Under conditions of no food competition when the test fish were separated during feeding a similar but reverse pattern occurred due to differences in food conversion efficiency. In the second experiment, the effects of food quantity and relative size of group members were tested. Both main effects and their interaction were highly significant. Under conditions of low food competition (i.e., surplus food supply) fish grew again better when surrounded by larger fish as compared to their growth rate when surrounded by smaller ones. Size matching via a differential growth rate in a schooling species such as sea bream was suggested to increase the confusion effect by reducing the ability of a predator to focus on an odd sized fish. The implications of direct competition for food for the efficient culture of this species are discussed.