Passing times of two types of feeds in wels (Silurus glanis) at three different temperatures

Passing times of two different types of feeds were determined in cases of wels (Silurus glanis) by measuring the body weight at three different temperatures. Fingerlings, 38.03 ± 8.04 g, were fed by an artificial dry feed (commercial catfish feed) or forage fish. The treatments were carried out (11 fish/aquaria) in 3 replicates. Fish were individually tagged by pit tags. Temperatures applied were the following: 15, 20 and 24 °C. The appetite of fish highly depended on temperature. At 15 °C, only 42.4 % of the experimental fish accepted the granulated feed, while this ratio was 90.9 % in the forage fish fed group. At higher temperatures, 100 % of the experimental fish accepted feed in both feeding groups. The daily mean value of consumed feed at 15 °C was 3.20 % of body weight in the case of forage fish and 1.36 % in the case of dry feed. At 24 °C, this ratio was 10.68 % of body weight in cases of forage fish and 4.46 % in cases of artificial feed. At low temperature (15 °C), the quantity of consumed feed met the measurement’s error threshold, which made the determination of passing time uncertain. At 20 °C, the evacuation started 20 h after feeding and lasted for 18 h, while at 24 °C, it started 11 h after feeding and lasted for another 16 h.