This experiment was done at Hydrobiology and Pisciculture Section of the Dept of Animal Biology of the University Federal de Viçosa. Fingerlings of Hoplias lacerdae previously trained to accept artificial feed were selected for length and stocked in three tanks with 5000 liters each, until a biomass total of 36.72 g was reached. After 30 days the fishes were selected again for length and distribute into the same tanks, with density of 5 fishes/m², and left again for an additional 30 days. Every day at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. the fishes were fed with comercial feed (42% CP). At the end of each 30-day period the following parameters were determined: survival rate, biomass gain, standard length and feed: gain ratio. The average rates of survival were 99.23 and 89.33%, feeding ratio were 1.3:1.0 and 1.05:1.0 and biomass gain were 92.19 and 133.08 g. It was frequently observed that the standard length was heterogenoeus in both periods and in all tanks, suggesting the need of period re-evaluations of size when dialing with carnivorous fishes. These data show that Hoplias lacerdae has great potential to be cultivated with artificial feed, after been previously trained to accept comercial food.
trairao; Hoplias lacerdae; artificial feed; homogeneous
