Stomach Contents of Rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) in Artificially Illuminated Sea Cage

Abstract

Effect of artificial illumination on feeding by the rockfish Sebastes schlegeli receiving no synthetic feed in the cage of the Tongyong Marine Ranch was investigated by analysing the stomach contents of 20 individuals every month from October 1998 to July 1999. The fish was found to have fed on naturally available zooplanktons, i.e. Calanus sinicu, zoeae, amphipods and copepodites in October, fish larvae in November-December, nematodes in January, amphipods in February and again fish larvae from May to July. Despite increase in the weight of stomach contents from 260 mg/fish during the initial period of study to 2,173 mg/fish, as many as 70% of the fish were found to have empty stomach during March-April. Weight of stomach contents did not increase with increasing age of the fish. Occurrence frequency was 83-90% for C. sinicus during October-November and >50% for fish larvae during March-April and June-July.