Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations and growth in juvenile halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus): effects of photoperiods and feeding regimes.

The effects of photoperiod and feeding regimes on plasma IGF-I levels and their relationship with growth rate of juvenile halibut (initial mean weight 364 g) were investigated by rearing fish under five different photoperiod regimes and two feeding regimes for 14 months. The entire photoperiod experiment was divided into 3 phases where the fish in each phase were exposed to either natural photoperiod (N), stimulated photoperiod with long day and short night (S) or continuous light (L). Thus, the following five photoperiod combinations were tested: a) Control group (NNN) b) Group 2A (NLN) c) Group 2B (NNL) d) Long day-natural group (SNN) e) Production group (LNN). In addition, the Control group was split into two parts and fed according to two different feeding regimes: a) Continuous fed group: Fish fed every day. b) Starvation/re-fed group: Fish were starved for 5 weeks and then re-fed for 10 weeks, and the treatment repeated during the whole experimental period. The analyses of IGF-I were performed from individually tagged fish in all groups in September 2005 and March 2006. In order to test how rapidly starvation affects circulating IGF-I levels samples were taken from the Starvation/re-fed group after a 10 days starvation (September) and immediately after 10 weeks of feeding (March). A significant relationship between IGF-I levels and individual growth in the preceding period and photoperiod and starvation treatment was found on both occasions. In conclusion, the present study indicates that plasma IGF-I levels are correlated to growth in Atlantic halibut, and affected by photoperiod treatment or compensatory growth during re-feeding. Correlation between individual growth rate and IGF-I levels was low, but significant, highlighting the complexity of how environmental factors affect the endocrine and physiological regulation of growth in fish.