No description available.

Gastric emptying of Sprattus sprattus and Arenicola spp. (gastric lavage) and formulated pellets (X-Ray studies) was investigated in a range of sizes of whiting, Merlangius merlangus fed different meal sizes at different temperatures. Emptying of indigestible solids, barium sulphate spheroids and ballotini were also studied. Additionally stomach contents of whiting sampled from Red Wharf Bay, Eastern Anglesey, UK. were analysed to determine diet composition, diel feeding periodicity and feeding strategy of whiting. Daily and total annual intake of main prey taxa, sprat, sandeel and crab, were estimated. Finally feeding behaviour of whiting in captivity was monitored. With respect to the studies conducted under laboratory conditions, it was found that gastric emptying is best described by a linear function. The results indicated significant changes in gastric emptying rates with both prey type and size. The seasonal change in temperature did not yield a significant change in gastric emptying rate. Increase in diet surface area also did not alter the gastric emptying rate significantly. The results have also shown that in continuously- feeding whiting gastric emptying is affected by the second meal such that the arrival of the second meal is accompanied by rapid emptying of a small fraction of the first meal. Despite difficulties encountered with individual variation among whiting of similar size held under similar conditions, gastric emptying times (GET) for both natural food and formulated pellets can be adequately predicted by the equations: GET = 126.47 W -0.111 g 0.26 e -0.068T for the natural food, GET = 6.6 e -0.09T + 2.48 W0.566 e -0.044T for the formulated pellets; where W is the fish weight (g), S is the meal size (g) and T is the temperature (°C) suggesting that a similar meal size of formulated pellet is emptied faster than natural food, Sprattus sprattus. This was interpreted as evidence that natural diets may reflect a combination of 2 factors (a) the relative size of stimulation to the stomach (% distension) and (b) the existence of protective, fibrous skin which resists digestion. Barium sulphate spheroids of diameter 1 mm (ca 20 per g food) and ballotini of diameter 0.029- 0.049 mm (60-100 per 1.58g) were selectively retained by the whiting stomach, suggesting that these indigestible materials can not be used in gastric emptying studies in whiting. Under laboratory conditions with continuous food availability, medium size whiting (155.25±27.98 g) consumed 5.29 g sprat corresponding to 3.41 %bw (approximately 3 sprat, 1.88g each) at 14 °C. The return of appetite after a single meal was found to follow the gastric emptying curve closely. However if food is not offered directly, but made available through demand feeding, the whiting feed rhythmically (every 21 hours), under these conditions it was estimated that feeding activity returns when the stomach is 40 % full. It wa§ found that, in the wild, whiting prefer fish (Sprattus sprattus and Ammodytes spp. ) and crustaceans and only turn to the polychaetes as a third option, even when they are readily available, when preferred food is scarce. The availability of prey was found to be the main criterion in whiting feeding strategy. In March fish were dominant for most whiting, in August and September/October however, Liocarcinus spp. and Corystes cassivelaunus were the main prey items found in whiting stomach reflecting the availability of these prey species. A highly correlated relationship was found between predator (whiting) and prey (sandeel) length, however this was not noticed for sprat; whiting prey on sprat regardless of its length. An increase in feeding intensity was observed in the morning (August), in the evening (September/October), or at both times, crepuscular feeding pattern, (March). However, when feeding behaviour was investigated under laboratory conditions it was found that whiting is mainly a day time feeder with a slight increase in the morning and in the evening, but some feeding also occurs at night. Additionally a strong tendency was found for crustaceans to be found in fish captured during the daylight hours and fish at night in August and September/October. A linear model to estimate food consumption from the field samples was developed. F= (S2-S1) + 1.5 K T, where S2 and SI are average stomach contents at time tI and t2, K is the gastric emptying rate (gh-1) and T is temperature (°C). The average recruited whiting stock in the area of approximately 150 km2 in Red Wharf Bay was estimated to be 129,000 with a total biomass of 22 tonnes. It was estimated that young whiting (groups 0+ to 3+ years) in Red Wharf Bay eat between 1.29 and 6.57 g day-1 in February. By August, when temperature has maximised, these values increase by approximately 70-80 %. Daily intake of sprat, sandeel and crab was estimated to be 0.41,0.14 and 0.14 g for the 0+ group. This was increased to 0.70,0.80 and 0.94 g by the age of 4. On a daily basis the long-term average of the amount of sprat, sandeel and crab consumed were estimated to be 820, 370 and 520 g/km2/day respectively. Total food consumption per year by the recruited whiting stock in the area studied however was 44.8 tonnes of sprat (approximately 11.5 million sprats), 20 tonnes of sandeel and 28.5 tonnes of crab. These figures were compared with the available data from the North Sea as well as from other parts of the Irish Sea and it was concluded that whiting in the Irish Sea eat more than they do in the North Sea.

No description available.

No description available.

Orientador: Roberto Goitein / Banca: Leandro Muller Gomiero / Banca: Paula Maria Gênova de Castro / Banca: João Batista Kochenborger Fernandes / Banca: Teresa Cristina Ribeiro Dias Koberstein / Resumo: Conhecido como matrinxã, Brycon sp.n. "Cristalino" é uma das espécies ainda não descritas pela ciência. Mesmo sendo apontada como uma das mais promissoras para a piscicultura por apresentar enorme potencial de crescimento e carne nobre. Diante disso, esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: contribuir para o conhecimento da biologia alimentar de Brycon sp. n "Cristalino", no rio Cristalino - Parque Estadual Cristalino/MT. As coletas foram mensais (03/2004 a 02/2006), em um trecho de coleta no rio Cristalino. Foram obtidas as medidas dos peixes (comprimento padrão, altura, peso, largura da boca, comprimento do intestino). As análises dos conteúdos estomacais foram realizadas segundo métodos de freqüência de ocorrência, freqüência gravimétrica e índice alimentar. Foram coletados 886 exemplares divididos em cinco classes de tamanhos, sendo 117 peixes da classe 1, 131 da classe 2, 199 da classe 3, 273 da classe 4 e 166 da classe 5. A freqüência de ocorrência dos itens encontrados aponta para que a espécie tenha uma dieta bastante variada com 29,64%, 25,76% e 22,70% de estômagos contendo restos vegetais, sementes e insetos, respectivamente. O índice alimentar (IAi) apresenta valores acentuados para os itens restos vegetais (IAi 0,5817%) e insetos (IAi 0,1748%) nos peixes menores. Foram identificados 48 taxons que fazem parte da dieta da espécie. Os dados de dieta alimentar apontam que a espécie é onivoria com tendência à herbívora, com amplo espectro alimentar nas fases adultas, sendo dependente de alimentos alóctones durante a época da cheia e tendo disponível na época da seca, em sua maioria, alimentos de origem autóctone. Com base nos dados analisados da dieta da espécie, sugere-se que as matas alagadas e matas ciliares são os principais fornecedores da energia que sustentam esta espécie. / Abstract: This fish is commonly called "matrinxã" in the amazonian region, but has not yet been described. Even so, it is expected to be a highly promising species for fish pond rearing activities, as it presents a highly growth potential and a very appreciated flesh. Such a fact motivated a study whose main purposes were to contribute to the knowledge about its feeding biology. It is for now called Brycon sp. n "Cristalino", as it occurs in the Cristalino river, inside the Cristalino State Park/MT. Collections were made every month during two years from march 2004 to february 2006 at three points (places?) in the Cristalino river. Some measurements were obtained for each specimen, such as standard length, height, weight, mouth width and intestine length. Stomach contents were analyzed using current methods, totalizing 886 individuals for these observations. For more precise information individuals were separated for analyses in five length classes. The occurrence methods used for items found in the stomach contents indicate the species to present a considerably varied diet mainly composed by plant remains, seeds and insects, in a decrescent sequence. The alimentary index points to a predominance for plant remains and insects for the smaller individuals, but some distinctions were observed when larger individuals were studied. The number of taxa found within the stomach contents attained 48, and their numbers clearly increased for the larger individuals. Results permit one to conclude that Brycon sp. n "Cristalino" is an omnivorous fish presenting a tendency to herbivorous habits, with a relatively large food composition spectrum. Many of the components of the species diet are aloctonous, mainly during the rainy season, but autochthonous components were also present, whose importance increased during the drier season. So, the surrounding vegetation constitutes the main source for this species energy incorporation. / Doutor

A study of the feeding and movement patterns of largemouth bass in Alamo Lake, Arizona, using stomach analysis, ultra-sonic telemetry and echo-location revealed that feeding is an important determinant of the behavior of individuals and of their composition. The diurnal foraging activity showed a circadian rhythm associated with dawn, dusk, and mobility of prey. The size and type of prey consumed was largely influenced by the size and hunger state of the predator and by the prevailing environmental conditions. All sizes of bass fed mostly on shad, but the quantities consumed were influenced by the avail- ability of alternate prey and location of shad. Foraging mode and habitat selection were influenced by size and shape of bass and their metabolic requirements, whereby, the juveniles ( ≤ 25.0 cm) and adults ( ≥ 40.7 cm) haunted the littoral zone, but the medium size bass (25.1 - 40.6 cm) occupied the limnetic zone. The diel movements of feeding caused segregation of sizes which in turn enhanced their utilization of the more abundant resources at the most opportune times. For example, during floods, bass moved en masse into the littoral zone to feed on the abundant food caused by allochthonous enrichment, but during draw-down, only the medium size bass migrated into the deeper waters to seek out the limnetic shad leaving the juveniles and larger adults in the littoral zone. Although the movements and feeding of largemouth bass in Alamo Lake may not be thoroughly explained by any single environmental factor, of the variables measured, water temperature, oxygen and turbidity seem to be the most important. Likewise, the high perennial production of bass in the lake may not be attributed solely to (1) the enormous addition of allochthonous nutrients during floods, (2) the concentration of prey during the draw-down, or (3) a high primary production that, in turn, sustains a high secondary production, but to a combination of all these variables interacting in different ways during different seasons.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-02-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:40:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_saa_dr_jabo.pdf: 720344 bytes, checksum: 569ce726b2c155b31120045716eb4270 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Conhecido como matrinxã, Brycon sp.n. “Cristalino” é uma das espécies ainda não descritas pela ciência. Mesmo sendo apontada como uma das mais promissoras para a piscicultura por apresentar enorme potencial de crescimento e carne nobre. Diante disso, esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: contribuir para o conhecimento da biologia alimentar de Brycon sp. n “Cristalino”, no rio Cristalino – Parque Estadual Cristalino/MT. As coletas foram mensais (03/2004 a 02/2006), em um trecho de coleta no rio Cristalino. Foram obtidas as medidas dos peixes (comprimento padrão, altura, peso, largura da boca, comprimento do intestino). As análises dos conteúdos estomacais foram realizadas segundo métodos de freqüência de ocorrência, freqüência gravimétrica e índice alimentar. Foram coletados 886 exemplares divididos em cinco classes de tamanhos, sendo 117 peixes da classe 1, 131 da classe 2, 199 da classe 3, 273 da classe 4 e 166 da classe 5. A freqüência de ocorrência dos itens encontrados aponta para que a espécie tenha uma dieta bastante variada com 29,64%, 25,76% e 22,70% de estômagos contendo restos vegetais, sementes e insetos, respectivamente. O índice alimentar (IAi) apresenta valores acentuados para os itens restos vegetais (IAi 0,5817%) e insetos (IAi 0,1748%) nos peixes menores. Foram identificados 48 taxons que fazem parte da dieta da espécie. Os dados de dieta alimentar apontam que a espécie é onivoria com tendência à herbívora, com amplo espectro alimentar nas fases adultas, sendo dependente de alimentos alóctones durante a época da cheia e tendo disponível na época da seca, em sua maioria, alimentos de origem autóctone. Com base nos dados analisados da dieta da espécie, sugere-se que as matas alagadas e matas ciliares são os principais fornecedores da energia que sustentam esta espécie. / This fish is commonly called “matrinxã” in the amazonian region, but has not yet been described. Even so, it is expected to be a highly promising species for fish pond rearing activities, as it presents a highly growth potential and a very appreciated flesh. Such a fact motivated a study whose main purposes were to contribute to the knowledge about its feeding biology. It is for now called Brycon sp. n “Cristalino”, as it occurs in the Cristalino river, inside the Cristalino State Park/MT. Collections were made every month during two years from march 2004 to february 2006 at three points (places?) in the Cristalino river. Some measurements were obtained for each specimen, such as standard length, height, weight, mouth width and intestine length. Stomach contents were analyzed using current methods, totalizing 886 individuals for these observations. For more precise information individuals were separated for analyses in five length classes. The occurrence methods used for items found in the stomach contents indicate the species to present a considerably varied diet mainly composed by plant remains, seeds and insects, in a decrescent sequence. The alimentary index points to a predominance for plant remains and insects for the smaller individuals, but some distinctions were observed when larger individuals were studied. The number of taxa found within the stomach contents attained 48, and their numbers clearly increased for the larger individuals. Results permit one to conclude that Brycon sp. n “Cristalino” is an omnivorous fish presenting a tendency to herbivorous habits, with a relatively large food composition spectrum. Many of the components of the species diet are aloctonous, mainly during the rainy season, but autochthonous components were also present, whose importance increased during the drier season. So, the surrounding vegetation constitutes the main source for this species energy incorporation.

Orientador: João Batista Kochenborger Fernandes / Banca: Marta Verardino De Stéfani / Banca: Sérgio Fonseca Zaiden / Resumo: O acará-bandeira é uma espécie ornamental nativa da bacia amazônica que se destaca por ser um dos mais belos, mais vendidos e também mais populares peixes de aquário de águas tropicais. Atualmente é uma das espécies ornamentais produzidas em cativeiro. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o desempenho de juvenis de acará-bandeira submetidos a três níveis de alimentação (3, 6 e 9% do peso vivo por dia) e duas freqüências alimentares (uma e duas vezes ao dia). A investigação foi conduzida com peixes pesando 0,7-1,2 g e 1,3 a 1,7 g durante 84 dias. Utilizou-se uma dieta peletizada com 32% de proteína bruta e 4.185 kcal/kg de energia bruta. Os peixes foram alojados em caixas plásticas de 60 litros (15 peixes por caixa), com aeração e aquecedor com termostato para o controle da temperatura. Empregou-se um delineamento em esquema fatorial 3x2. Os dados foram analisados usando ANOVA (duas vias) e teste de Duncan para comparação das médias, com 5% de probabilidade. Os peixes submetidos à taxa de arraçoamento de 3% e 6% do p.v./dia consumiram 64% e 34% menos ração (4,71±1,07g e 8,89±2,11g, respectivamente) em relação àqueles que receberam 9% do p.v./dia (12,97±2,63g). Peixes arraçoados com 3% do p.v./dia apresentaram melhor conversão alimentar (2,97±0,52) em relação aos outros tratamentos (P<0,05). Peixes alimentados com 6% p.v./dia apresentaram um ganho de peso 21% maior (2,28g±0,86) que animais alimentados com 3% do p.v./dia (1,63g±0,48). A pior taxa de crescimento específica foi apresentada nos peixes que receberam o alimento na proporção de 3% do p.v./dia (1,14±0,27%/dia). Peixes alimentados duas vezes por dia apresentaram consumo da ração 17% maior e o ganho de peso 21% maior que aqueles que foram alimentados uma vez ao dia. A sobrevivência não diferiu entre os tratamentos. Neste estudo concluiu-se que... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Feshwater angelfish, native from Amazon Basin, is an ornamental specie highlighted for its beauty. It's one of the most sold and popular tropical aquarium fish. Today plenty of color strains and fins pattern are available. The aim of this study was evaluated the performance of juveniles freshwater angelfish with three feeding level (3, 6 and 9 % of body weight per day) and two feeding frequencies (once and twice a day) during 84 days. Fish were separated in two blocks of weight (0,7-1,2 g and 1,3 a 1,7 g). They were fed a diet containing 32% Crude protein and 4185 kcal/kg gross energy. Fish were stocked in 60 litters plastic tanks (15 fish each) with constant aeration and termostat with electric heater. An randomized blocks design with a factorial 3x2 scheme was used. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (two-way) and Duncan test for means comparison (a=5%). Fish feeding 3 and 6 % BW/day consumed 64 and 34% less feed (4.71±1.07g e 8.89±2.11g, respectively) comparing with fish feeding 9%BW/day (12.97±2.63). Fish receiving 3% showed best feed convertion ratio (2.97±0.52). Fish receiving 6% showed a weight gain 21% bigger (2.28±0.86g) than fish feeding 3% (1.63±0.48g). Worst specif growth rate was obtained in fish feeding 3% (1.14±0.27 %/day). Fish feeding twice a day showed feed consumption 17% higher and weight gain 21% bigger than those feeding once a day. Survival was not different among treatments. It's concluded the best performance is with fish feeding twice a day 6%BW/day. / Mestre

Thesis (Ph.D. (Agriculture)) --University of Limpopo, 2015 / The ability to utilise dietary components differs between fish species. Digestive enzymes may be used to determine the efficiency of the digestive process. In this study, the activities of the digestive enzymes in Tilapia rendalli, Oreochromis mossambicus and Clarias gariepinus were explored. Protease, amylase, lipase and cellulase activities were measured in different parts of the digestive tract of the three fish species. The pH dynamics along the digestive tract were monitored. In all fish species, the presence of food led to a reduction in stomach pH. pH values of 1.54, 1.58 and 2.01 were recorded 12 hours after feeding in Oreochromis mossambicus, Tilapia rendalli and Clarias gariepinus respectively. Protease and amylase activities were significantly higher (P<0.05, ANOVA) in the tilapias than in Clarias gariepinus. The tilapias may be pre-adapted to produce more protease and amylase to digest plant material which is more difficult to digest compared to animal matter. In all species amylase activity was significantly higher in the proximal intestine than in the other parts of the digestive tract (P<0.05, ANOVA). The highest proteolytic activity was recorded in the distal intestines. This is because of the alkaline pH recorded in the proximal and distal intestines which favours for amylase and protease activity respectively. Lipase activities were not significantly different (P>0.05) in all species. Marginal cellulase activities were recorded in all species. It is inferred here that phylogeny and not diet may be the main factor influencing enzyme activities as all fish were fed a similar diet. Two locally available plant diets, kikuyu grass and moringa leaves, were tested as protein sources in the diet of a macrophagous fish, Tilapia rendalli (11.5±1 g). Nine diets (30% CP: 20 MJ/kg) were formulated by substituting fishmeal for kikuyu leaf meal (KLM) and moringa leaf meal (MLM). A control diet contained 10% fishmeal and no leaf meal. Fishmeal was replaced at 25, 50, 75 and 100% by KLM in diets: KLM 25, KLM 50, KLM 75 and KLM 100; then by MLM in diets MLM 25, MLM 50, MLM 75 and MLM 100. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of fish for 60 days. The best growth (SGR, TGC) was in the control group. There was no significant (P>0.05) decrease in SGR and TGC when KLM replaced up to 50% fishmeal. There was a significant (P<0.05) decrease when MLM replaced >25% fishmeal. Kikuyu diets had no effect on villi height. A trend towards shorter villi was evident with increasing MLM. Digestive enzyme activities also decreased with increasing KLM and MLM vii levels in the diet. Hepatocyte degradation was higher in fish fed moringa-based diets. Anti-nutrients (polyphenols, tannins, saponins and phytate) in moringa may have contributed to the poor growth, irritation of the enterocytes and hepatotoxic effects. These results show that replacing up to 25% fishmeal with KLM is effective in reducing the costs without negatively affecting the growth performance or health of Tilapia rendalli. Adding MLM, even at the lowest level (25%) was expensive and resulted in compromised growth and health. The efficacy of KLM and MLM was also tested as alternative protein sources for Oreochromis mossambicus (12.5±1 g) a microphagous herbivore. The same diets used for Tilapia rendalli were fed to triplicate groups of twenty fish for 60 days. Linear regressions of feed intake, SGR, PER and protein ADC with increasing levels of leaf meal were significant (P<0.05). Superior growth performance, protein ADC and feed utilisation were also recorded in fish fed KLM-based diets than those fed MLM diets. When compared to Tilapia rendalli, Oreochromis mossambicus had superior growth performance and feed utilisation when fed the control diets and the lowest level of KLM. This was attributed to phylogeny. Protease, amylase and lipase decreased with increasing leaf meal levels and were higher in the intestine of fish fed KLMbased diets than those fed MLM-based diets. Fish fed MLM-based diets had higher number of goblet cells in the enterocytes, higher hepatocyte degradation and poor haematological parameters than those fed KLM diets. These adverse alterations were more pronounced in Oreochromis mossambicus compared to those observed in Tilapia rendalli feeding of the same diets. Cost benefit analysis also indicated that substitution fishmeal with KLM is a cheaper protein source in Oreochromis mossambicus diets. Kikuyu leaf meal may be used to replace up to 25% fishmeal without compromising the growth performance and health of Oreochromis mossambicus. Reduced growth and poor health was evident even at the lowest inclusion level of MLM. The effects of replacing fishmeal with KLM and MLM in the diets of a predatory omnivore, Clarias gariepinus were also investigated. The same KLM and MLMbased diets used in the previous experiments were used. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of Clarias gariepinus (30.5±2 g) and fed to apparent satiation for 60 days. Significantly higher (P<0.05) growth performance, feed and viii protein utilisation was observed in Clarias gariepinus fed KLM diets compared to those fed MLM. Protein digestibility was higher in Clarias gariepinus fed the control diet than in both tilapias. However, in the treatment diets protein ADC was lower in Clarias gariepinus than in the tilapias. A decrease in the activity of digestive enzymes was also observed with increasing leaf meal level in the diet. This was attributed to the natural feeding habits and digestive adaptations of the different fish species. No histological alterations were found in liver of fish fed the control diet. Increased hepatocyte degradation was seen in fish fed higher levels of KLM and MLM in the diet. The enterocytes showed a significant increase in the number of goblet cells with increasing levels of MLM. Villi height decreased significantly (P<0.05) when MLM replaced >75 fishmeal. The damage to the hepatocytes and enterocytes as well as the poor health condition shown by haematological parameters was more pronounced in Clarias gariepinus than in the tilapias. This suggests that the predatory fish is not equipped to utilise high levels of leaf meals in its diet. The results of this study indicate that KLM can replace up to 25% fishmeal and that adding MLM resulted in reduced performance. Higher profit index and lower incidence cost was observed KLM diets than in MLM diets. Anti-nutrients in the leaf meals were the main factors leading to reduced feed intake and poor growth in fish fed the plant-based diet. Therefore, a subsequent study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of exogenous enzyme supplementation to reduce the negative effects of anti-nutrients and improve fish growth. A commercial multi-enzyme Natuzyme50® was supplemented at a rate of 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.00 g/kg DM feed in the best performing diet (KLM 25). These diets were tested in Oreochromis mossambicus. Natuzyme50® supplementation led to improved growth performance. Fish fed the diet containing 0.50 g/kg had the best growth performance and protein ADC and highest levels of digestive enzyme activities. At higher (>0.50 g/kg) enzyme supplementation levels, growth performance decreased. The improved growth performance with enzyme supplementation was attributed to the presence of enzymes such as cellulase and xylanase in the cocktail that are not naturally produced by fish. In addition, the activities of endogenous enzymes were enhanced. The optimal Natuzyme50® dietary level for optimal growth performance in Oreochromis mossambicus was 0.62 g/kg DM feed.

Thesis (MScEng (Process Engineering))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / With the harvesting of fish and other aquatic organisms from natural waters having reached its upper limit, aquaculture is vital in providing for the ever increasing demand for fishery products (Boyd, 1999). Not surprisingly, aquaculture has seen considerable growth over the last decade or more. With the rising importance of aquaculture, there is an increased emphasis on cost and reducing of waste for environmental reasons. Therefore, attempts to automate or increase efficiency of feeding are constantly being explored. On an aquaculture unit approximately 60% of all costs are for feed; therefore high quality feeding management is essential for all fish farmers. The rainbow trout farm at Jonkershoek Aquaculture Research farm near Stellenbosch currently have a feeding management system which makes use of traditional hand feeding. Handfeeding is not considered optimal, as the feed intake or pellet loss is not closely monitored resulting in higher operating costs. Automation of aquaculture systems will allow the industry to produce closer to markets, improve environmental control, reduce catastrophic losses, minimize environmental regulation by reducing effluents, reduce production costs and improve product quality. The history of automated control in aquaculture has been brief; most of the systems have been custom-designed, personal computer systems. A very popular approach for an automated feeding system is to monitor waste pellets beneath the feeding zone of the fish, with a feedback loop that can switch off the feeder if this waste exceeds a predetermined threshold. Other approaches use hydroacoustics to monitor waste pellets or demand feeders have also been implemented. These approaches however are not considered optimal as automatic feeders do not necessarily ensure optimal feed intake. Social dominance using demand feeders does not allow even feeding distribution among all sizes of fish. In this project it was investigated whether an automated feeding system can be developed based on fish feeding behaviour. After facing problems with poor visibility at the Jonkershoek Aquaculture farm near Stellenbosch, video data were acquired from the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. Since it was a feasibility study, the focus was rather to investigate whether a predictive model could be generated for fish feeding behaviour in a more ideal environment which can form a foundation for further research. The well-established multivariate methods of principal components