There was no adverse impact of high prey densities on food intake or fish growth, in contrast to the situation in redfish Sebastes spp. (Laurel et al., 2001). Redfish larvae offered high prey densities frequently abandoned a prey capture sequence and re-orientated towards other prey, thereby resulting in slower growth. The absence of such confusion effect in P. hypophthalmus is consistent with their very simple foraging behaviour, which merely relies on constant swimming and little orientation towards prey.