For each water temperature
growth was negatively correlated to fish size and the model, SGR=a+blnW or SGR=aWb, provided a good
fit to the data obtained for 10–200 g cobia. Food conversion efficiency (FCE)was highest at 31 °C and lowest at 35 °C
for each size cobia. The optimal temperature for FCE (Topt.FCE) of 10–200 g cobia was 31 °C. An increasing trend of
FCE with fish size was seen at each temperature and indicated that larger cobia had a superior capacity of food utilization.
Energy budgets of cobia were also influenced significantly by water temperature and fish size.However, energy
budgets were relatively constant over the 27-33 °C temperature and 70-200 g size ranges for cobia. Over the
whole temperature and size ranges the proportion of food energy lost in feces and excretion for cobia was small
(b15%) and a large proportion of food energy was allocated to growth and metabolism.