ELSEVIER Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175

The effects of food pellet dimensions on feeding

responses by Atlantic salmon (S&w salar L.) in a
marine net pen
I.P. Smith*, N.B. Metcalfe, F.A. Huntingford
Fish Behaviour and Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow Gl2 8QQ, UK

Accepted 2 August 1994

Abstract

The effects of the diameter and length of cylindroid food pellets on the feeding responses of one-
sea-winter Atlantic salmon in a marine net pen have been investigated. Pellets of different shapes and
sizes were dropped into the pen in a random sequence and the responses of salmon were recorded
with a video system. Both the diameter and length of pellets affected the time until first capture, with
salmon taking longer to capture small pellets. The probability of a pellet being rejected after having
been grasped was related to its length, but not its diameter: shorter pellets were rejected least often.
Thus, the larger pellets that appeared to be initially most attractive to salmon were not the sizes that
they ingested most readily once grasped. Acceptability (as indicated by rejection rate) varied over
the range of pellet lengths that occurs within the size class of commercial feed recommended for these
fish, and the optimum length (in terms of the number of pellets eaten rapidly) was shorter than the
mean length of commercial pellets. The possible interaction of the effects of pellet size and hardness
on palatability should be investigated.

Kevwords: Salmo salar; Feeding and nutrition - fish - behaviour; Feeding and nutrition - Pellet dimensions

1. Introduction

Efforts to maximise feed utilisation in salmonid aquaculture should take account of fish
feeding behaviour. The proportion of administered feed consumed is partly determined by
the responses of fish to individual food particles. Ingestion of food involves a sequence of
events starting with detection of a potential food item, continuing through orientation,

*Corresponding author. Present address: Scottish Office Agricultureand Fisheries Department, Marine Laboratory,
PO Box 101, Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB9 SDB, UK

0044-8486/95/$09.50 0 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

SsDIOO44-8486(94)00207-X
168 I.P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175

approach and capture, leading ultimately to the item being swallowed (Stradmeyer, 1989).
This sequence may terminate at any stage prior to swallowing. For example, having
approached a food item, a fish may proceed to capture it or leave it; having captured a food
item, the fish may either swallow or eject it (Wahkowski, 1979; Knights, 1985). Completion
of the feeding sequence depends both on the motivational state of the fish and the charac-
teristics of the food particle (Huntingford and Thorpe, 1992). Physical attributes of the
particle not only affect the ability of the fish to eat it (a food item may be too large to
capture, for example), but also influence whether the fish is stimulated to eat it (a pellet
may not be perceived as a desirable food item).
Food particle design is therefore an important consideration when processed feedstuffs,
such as pelleted fish meal, are used. Studies of juvenile salmonids indicate that some forms
of dry pelleted food are less likely to elicit feeding responses than wild prey (Paszkowski
and Olla, 1985; Stradmeyer and Thorpe, 1987) and several characteristics of artificial food
items have been found to influence the probability of ingestion by juvenile salmonids
(Mearns, 1990; Stradmeyer, 1992). The size and shape of food items are likely to be
important at each stage of the feeding sequence, by influencing their detectability, attrac-
tiveness, ease of capture and probability of ingestion once captured (acceptability) (Strad-
meyer et al., 1988). Size and shape of food items may have contrasting effects on
attractiveness and acceptability (Metcalfe et al., 1987; Stradmeyer et al., 1988). Wankowski
and Thorpe ( 1979) found that the growth rate of Atlantic salmon parr was influenced by
food particle size. At most times of year, parr grew fastest on food particles of a width
equivalent to 2.2-2.6% of the fishes’ mean body length, similar to the optimum size indicated
by behavioural observations (Wahkowski, 1979).
The feeding responses of post-smolt Atlantic salmon in relation to pellet characteristics
have received less attention than those of fry and parr. Commercially supplied pellets for
marine phase salmon tend to be approximate cylinders of relatively precise diameter, but
variable length (Stradmeyer, 1992). Atlantic salmon in marine net pens are known to
capture and then eject commercially produced pellets (Juell, 1991; Smith et al., 1993).
Consequently, the present study was designed to investigate the influence of food pellet
dimensions on the feeding responses of one-sea-winter Atlantic salmon in a marine net pen.

2. Materials and methods

Study site and$sh

The study was carried out at a commercial production site in Dunstaffnage Bay, Argyll,
W. Scotland in April 1991. Atlantic salmon were stocked in a net pen (net depth 5 m;
wooden collar 7 X9 m) as l-year-old smolts in May 1989. During the study the pen
contained approximately 860 fish with an average weight of 3.4 kg. During non-observa-
tional periods, the fish were fed commercially produced pellets of the manufacturer’s
recommended size ( ‘Mainstream’ Grower 6, BP Nutrition (UK) Ltd., Northwich), which
were dispensed to the centre of the pen at 5-min intervals during daylight by an automatic
feeder (Tessomat lOOL.B-12, Tess Aquaculture Ltd., Newport). In addition, fish farm staff
dispensed a small quantity of the same type of pellets by hand at approximately 08.00 h
 I.P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175 169

each day. We had access to only one net pen, but our study fish appeared typical of salmon
of the same age at the site.

Experimental pellets
Commercially produced pellets were approximate cylinders with a diameter of 8 f 0.2
mm and length of 13 + 3.5 mm (X + s.d.) , a 1ength:diameter ratio of 1.625. Experimental
pellets were prepared in four diameters (5,6,8, 10 mm) and three lengths (6, 13,20 mm).
The lengths corresponded to the mean length + 2 s.d. of commercial pellets (i.e. they were
within the range of lengths found in commercial feed). Experimental pellets of diameter 8
mm were also manufactured in lengths of 8, 10 and 16 mm, which corresponded to 1.625
times the other experimental pellet diameters (5, 6 and 10 mm).
Experimental pellets were prepared by grinding commercially produced pellets (BP
Mainstream) with a pestle and mortar and mixing the resulting powder with water at room
temperature. This paste was extruded from a rigid PVC tube (diameter 8 cm) through an
appropriately sized hole drilled in a flat end-plate (thickness 0.5 cm) attached to the tube,
with a pressure of approximately 2OAO kPa. The cylinders of paste thus formed were
allowed to dry at room temperature and were then cut to the required lengths.

Observation of feeding responses

The responses of salmon to experimental pellets were observed with a video system. The
video camera (charge coupled device, 12.7 mm format, lens focal length 3.5 mm) was
encased in a cylindrical, waterproof housing (diameter 12 cm, length 18 cm) (C-Technics,
Oban), mounted on a scaffold gantry so that the lens was positioned just below the water
surface, 2 m from one side of the pen, viewing directly downwards. The angle of view was
approximately 65” and the depth of view (which depended on water transparency and
ambient light level) was approximately 4 m. The camera was connected by a waterproof
cable to a video recorder (Video Walkman, Sony Corporation, Tokyo). Recordings were
made in daylight and no artificial light was used.
Single pellets of each size were dispensed into the pen in a random order at 30-s intervals,
between actuations of the automatic feeder. Pellets were dropped into a plastic pipe that
guided them into the water next to the video camera. It was not possible to determine the
fate of all pellets presented, since some drifted laterally out of the camera’s field of view,
or were obscured by fish. The fate of 357 pellets was recorded. Sample sizes for each pellet
type are given in Table 1.

Statistical analysis
Four measures of the behavioural responses of salmon to experimental pellets were made
from the video recordings: the time between pellets appearing in the field of view and the
first grasp by salmon (response time) ; the proportion of pellets ejected from the mouth
after having been grasped (rejections) ; the proportion of pellets eaten rapidly (within 5 s
of appearing in the field of view); and the time taken for pellets to be eaten. Pellets that
sank out of sight were deemed to be uneaten (27.2% of pellets whose fate was recorded).
Uneaten pellets took approximately 30 s to sink out of sight and were excluded from analysis
of the time taken for pellets to be eaten. Response time was determined for the first 215
170 I.P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture I30 (1995) 167-175

Table 1
Sample sizes for observations of feeding responses of salmon to experimental pellets of different diameters and
lengths

Diameter Length Number of Number of Sample sizes Number of

(mm) (mm) pellets of grasps’ for response pellets
known fate times’ uneaten3

5 6 33 34 16 8
5 13 35 34 14 11
5 20 38 34 12 19
6 6 26 22 12 9
6 13 35 37 13 10
6 20 35 37 18 9
8 6 14 18 10 1
8 8 16 17 7 5
8 10 30 35 17 2
8 13 15 17 8 5
8 16 16 24 10 1
8 20 18 22 8 5
10 6 17 16 5 5
10 13 14 22 9 3
10 20 15 28 10 4

‘The number of times salmon rejected pellets was analysed in relation to the number of grasps.
‘Response time was determined for the first 215 pellets presented, ignoring those to which there was no response.
‘The number of pellets that sank out of sight, including those that had been grasped and rejected by salmon.

pellets only, but since pellets were presented in a random order, this should not bias
comparisons of this measure among pellet sizes.
Response time and time to eat pellets were analysed in relation to pellet diameter and
length by analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Scheffe’s test for multiple compar-
isons (Zar, 1984). Measurements of time were normalised by square root transformation.

Pellet length

6 mm 13 mm 20 mm
14 -

12 -
I
10 -

31
8 -

II
8
6 -

4 -

2 -

O- 5 B 10

Pellet diameter (mm)

Fig. 1. Mean response time of Atlantic salmon to cylindroid food pellets of different lengths and diameters, Error
bars represent standard errors; sample sizes are given in Table 1.
 1-P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175 171

The proportion of grasps resulting in rejection and the proportion of pellets eaten rapidly
were analysed by log-linear analysis (Wilkinson, 1990).

3. Results

The mean response time of salmon to experimental pellets varied significantly among
diameters and lengths of pellet (Fig. 1; two-factor ANOVA, F,,,,, =5.64, P< 0.01,
F 2.,23 = 9.98, P < 0.001 and F6,rz3 = 0.56, P > 0.50 for diameter, length and interaction term,
respectively). Response times did not differ significantly between pellet diameters 5 mm
and 6 mm (Scheffe’s test, S =0.682, P> 0.05) or between diameters 8 mm and 10 mm
(S = 0.482, P > 0.05)) but salmon took significantly longer to respond to the two smaller

(a) Pellet length

6 mm 13 mm

7o r
2 60 -
6
I.=
P 50 -
CL
.c 40 -
l-l
P
e 30 -
z
F 20
“a
62 10

(b)

w n

2
a”
0
10

0 ton5 6
I
8

Pellet diameter (mm)

0
8 10

Fig. 2. Feeding responses of salmon to pellets of different sizes: (a) percentage of grasps that resulted in rejection
of the pellet; (b) percentage of pellets eaten within 5 s. Sample sizes are given in Table 1.
172 I.P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175

Pellet length

6 mm 13 mm 20 mm
14 -

12 -

!lili
z?

?%
$ 8-

6-
B
z 4 -
F

0
5 IO-
0AIlI IIII I
5 6 a 10 5 6 a 10 : 6 6 10

Pellet diameter (mm)

Fig. 3. Mean time for salmon to eat food pellets of different sizes. Error bars are standard errors; sample sizes are
given in Table 1 as the number of pellets of known fate minus the number uneaten.

pellet diameters than the two larger (S = 4.267, P < 0.001). With regard to pellet length,
salmon took longest to respond to short (6 mm) pellets (S =4.206, PCO.001). Mean
response times for intermediate ( 13 mm) and long (20 mm) pellets were not significantly
different (S = 1.903, P> 0.05).
The proportion of grasps that were followed by pellet rejection varied significantly among
pellet lengths (G = 6.57, df = 2, P < 0.05)) but not diameters (G = 7.06, df = 3, P > 0.05))
although there was an indication that pellets of large diameter were more likely to be rejected

(b)

r
8 80
v)

phi,,I,,,
a” 6 8 10 13 16 20

Pellet length (mm)

Fig. 4. Feeding responses of salmon in relation to pellet length (diameter 8 mm) : (a) mean response time with
standard errors; (b) percentage of pellets eaten within 5 s. Sample sizes are given in Table 1.
 I.P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175 173

when they were long (Fig. 2a). Shorter pellets tended to be rejected least often. The
proportion of pellets eaten rapidly did not differ significantly among diameters (G = 5.5 1,
df=3, P> 0.10) or lengths of pellet (G=4.75, df=2, P> 0.05), although few of the
extreme sizes of pellets (short and narrow or long and wide) were eaten within 5 s (Fig.
2b).
The mean time for pellets to be eaten (Fig. 3) varied significantly with length
(FUN = 3.04, P < 0.05)) but not diameter (F,.,,, = 1.04, P > 0.25), There was no indication
of an interaction between the effects of length and diameter ( F6,rg4 = 1.27, P > 0.25). Pellets
of intermediate length were eaten quicker than short pellets (S = 2.485, P < 0.05)) but there
was no significant difference between long and short pellets (S = 1.096, P > 0.05)) or
between intermediate and long pellets (S = 1.395, P > 0.05).
Pellets of diameter 8 mm (the same as the commercial pellets fed routinely) were
presented in a greater number of lengths (Table 1) to allow the effects of pellet length to
be examined in more detail. The time taken by salmon to respond to g-mm diameter pellets
varied significantly with pellet length (Fig. 4a; F,,,,= 3.05, P < 0.025). The salmon took
longest to respond to short pellets. The proportion of grasps of g-mm diameter pellets that
resulted in rejections did not differ significantly among pellet lengths (G = 4.47, df = 5,
P> 0.25), ranging from 20% for lo-mm-long pellets to 41% for 20-mm-long pellets.
However, the proportion of &mm diameter pellets eaten in less than 5 s did vary significantly
in relation to pellet length (G = 11.34, df = 5, P < 0.05) and approximately mirrored the
pattern of response time (Fig. 4b). A greater proportion of lo-mm-long pellets were eaten
rapidly than either extremely long or short pellets. The mean time for g-mm-diameter pellets
to be eaten varied in a similar way, ranging from 4.9 s for lo-mm-long pellets to 8.6 s for
6-mm-long pellets, but differences were not significant ( F5,s9 = 1.68, P > 0.10).

4. Discussion

The feeding responses of salmon recorded in this study reflect the effects of pellet
characteristics on different stages in the feeding sequence. Response time represents a
combination of the detectability and attractiveness of pellets and the percentage of grasps
followed by rejection indicates pellet acceptability. The time taken for a pellet to be eaten
depended both on the speed of response by fish and on how often the pellet was rejected.
Length and diameter of pellets affected their detectability and/or attractiveness: salmon
took longer, on average, to respond to small pellets. However, as found with juvenile salmon
(Stradmeyer et al., 1988), the pellet sizes that appeared to be initially most attractive to
salmon were not the sizes that they ingested most readily once grasped. Pellets of long and
intermediate length tended to elicit a more rapid response (Fig. 1)) but were more likely to
be rejected than short pellets (Fig. 2a) _ Within the range of sizes tested, pellet diameter
seemed not to influence acceptability significantly. This may be because diameter was not
greater than the length for most of the experimental pellets.
The conflicting trends in response time and rejections in relation to pellet length affected
the time taken for pellets to be eaten (Fig. 3). Over the range of diameters tested, pellets of
intermediate length were eaten quickest. More detailed examination of the effects of vari-
ation in the length of g-mm-diameter pellets (the same diameter as the commercial pellets)
174 I.P. Smith et al. /Aquaculture 130 (1995) 167-175

suggested that the optimum length, as indicated by the number of pellets eaten rapidly, was
somewhat shorter than the mean length of commercial pellets (Fig. 4b).
The lengths of pellet tested were within the range of variation found in commercial
pellets. The differences apparent in attractiveness and acceptability among these lengths
suggest that feed utilisation might be improved if variation in the length of commercial feed
pellets was reduced. Some variation in pellet size may be desirable to cater for individual
variation in fish size, particularly to avoid depressing further the growth rate of the smallest
fish. However, this might be more precisely controlled by using different size classes of
feed, rather than relying on random variation in pellet length within size classes.
The texture and hardness of the experimental pellets, while similar between sizes, were
not necessarily the same as the commercial pellets from which they were constituted. Soft
pellets of a given size are more acceptable to juvenile salmon than hard (Stradmeyer et al.,
1988)) but there may also be an interaction between the effects of pellet size and hardness,
such that fish can handle larger food particles when they are soft (e.g. Knights, 1985;
Mearns, 1990). The relationship between pellet hardness, size and acceptability should be
investigated in post-smolt salmon to assess the scope for improving feeding responses and
feed utilisation by using pellets that combine attractiveness and acceptability.
Under ideal conditions, Atlantic salmon may consume a wide variety of pellet types, so
making it unnecessary to incur the expense and inconvenience of optimising pellet size
precisely. However, studies of other species of fish have shown that prey size selectivity
increases as feeding motivation declines (e.g. Beukema, 1968; Bence and Murdoch, 1986;
Croy and Hughes, 1991; Gill and Hart, 1994). In aquaculture, there are times when it is
desirable that fish continue to feed despite low feeding motivation, such as following transfer
of smolts to seawater ( Stradmeyer, 1994)) or during episodes of disease, when medication
may need to be administered in the food. The variation in feeding responses described here
allows optimisation of pellet characteristics that may significantly affect feed utilisation and
food intake at times of low feeding motivation.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Howietoun Fish Farms Ltd. for allowing us to study their fish and to
Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory for logistical support. This study was funded by the
Scottish Salmon Growers Association and the Highland and Islands Development Board.

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