Growth and the feed required to sustain growth is of major importance in aquaculture.
To improve productivity and profitability of aquaculture, we have to provide feeds that supply adequate levels of energy and protein to sustain efficient growth. Despite the introduction of feeding charts based on nutritional bioenergetics for salmonids 1998), most fish culture, especially for the major marine species in the Mediterranean, gilthead sea bream and European sea bass, is practiced using provisional feeding regimes. Proper feed management is also crucial with regard to the aquatic environment, since feed that is not consumed or not available to the fish will be lost to the effluent surroundings and will result in nutrient enrichment of the water body.