Relation Between Water Temperature and Gastric Digestion of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacépède)

Authors:
  • GMGyula Molnár
    Gyula Molnár
  • ITIstván Tölg
    István Tölg
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Abstract
The rate of gastric digestion of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacépède) was measured at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 °C temperature by the X-ray method of the authors. Bleak (Alburnus alburnus L.) of 8.0–8.5 cm length were force-fed to largemouth bass of 25–27 cm length. There was a more rapid increase in the rate of digestion in the range between 5° and 10° than at higher temperatures. In the stomach of bass the food fish was rolled up into the shape of a spiral during digestion. Because these measurements, unlike in vitro experiments, were made under circumstances similar to those existing in nature, they may serve as an indication of rate of digestion in the wild.

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