Abstract: An eight-week feeding trial was conducted to examine the growth, feed utilization, digestive enzymes and body composition of juvenile hybrid bream at different feeding frequencies. Fish were fed a test diet at 0.5,1,2,3 or 4 meals/d. The weight gain significantly increased with increase in feeding frequency from 0.5 to 3 meal/d, and afterward did not change with feeding frequency from 3 to 4 meal/d. With the increasing of feeding frequency, the feed intake and body lipid content of fish significant increased, while intestinal trypsin activity and body moisture content of fish significant decreased. The feed conversion ratio exhibited a downward trend first and then an upward trend, with the increasing of feeding frequency, and fish fed 0.5 meals/d exhibited highest FCR, while fish fed 2 and 3 meals/d exhibited lowest FCR. No significant differences were found in intestinal amylase activity, intestinal lipase activity, body crude protein content, body ash content and muscle amino acid composition among all the feeding frequencies. The present study reveals that the optimum feeding frequency is 3 meals/d for hybrid bream with the highest feed utilization.

Key words: hybrid bream, feeding frequency, weight gain, feed utilization, digestive enzyme, body composition