The third feeding trial was designed based on results from the second study. Feeding was initiated 6 days after hatching. Owing to a shortage of larvae from the spawning used for this study, treatments in which larvae were fed from 2 days after hatch, as in experiments 1 and 2, could not be included. Thus, the three treatments comprised 5000 nematodes larva−1 day−1, 200 Artemia nauplii larva−1 day−1 and an unfed control treatment. By comparing the results from all trials, the possible role of a delayed start of feeding in the utilization of nematodes by S. petricola larvae will be discussed.