The Effects of Starvation Duration on the Growth Performance, Feed Cost, and Water Quality in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The present study investigated the effect of starvation periods on growth performance, feed cost, and water quality in common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Two different starvation methods were implemented, with an average weight of 120.69±3.47g over a 45-day trial. Group D1 was subjected to a 1-day fasting/2-day feeding regimen, whereas Group D2 adopted a 2-day fasting/1-day feeding regimen. The control group (C) was fed twice daily to satiation. At the end of the trial, the average weight of the fish was 200.88±14.62g in the control group, 189.11±21.05g in Group D1, and 130.04±10.49g in Group D2. The specific growth rates were 1.13±0.08% (C), 1.00±0.05% (D1), and 0.17±0.06% (D2), respectively. Feed conversion ratios were 1.81±0.01 (C), 1.32±0.02 (D1), and 4.43±0.05 (D2), respectively. There were significant differences between the control group and Groups D1 and D2 in terms of dissolved oxygen (mg/L) and pH values of the water. Group D2 yielded lower feed costs due to reduced feed usage. The average weight gain analysis showed that the unit feed cost of Group D2 was 3.4-fold higher than that of Group D1 and 2.5-fold higher than that of the control group. The application of starvation periods in feeding common carp had significant effects on the growth, feed utilization, water quality, and feed cost.