FCRSOFT
What Should FCR Be for European Seabass?
Typical FCR range in European Seabass farming, suitable water temperature, oxygen, harvest weight and production time. Calculate and improve your FCR.
In commercial European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) farming, economic FCR is usually in the 1.6–2.0 range. The value varies with water temperature, fish size, feed quality and feeding management.
| Typical FCR range | 1.6–2.0 |
|---|---|
| Suitable water temperature | 18–26 °C |
| Minimum dissolved oxygen | 5 mg/L |
| pH range | 7.5–8.5 |
| Salinity | 15–40 ‰ |
| Typical harvest weight | 350–500 g |
| Production period | 14–20 months |
| Daily feeding rate | %1.5 |
Values are general references and may vary with your farm’s conditions.
In sea bass, feed intake and growth slow down markedly when water temperature drops below 18 °C; FCR rises in the winter months.
Worked example
Producing 1,000 t of European Seabass a year at an FCR of 1.80 requires about 1,800 t of feed. Lowering FCR to 1.70 saves about 100 t of feed.
Free tool: FCR Savings Calculator
Factors that affect FCR in European Seabass
- Species and genetics
- Water temperature and dissolved oxygen
- Fish size: smaller fish convert feed more efficiently
- Nutritional value, pellet size and digestibility of the feed
- Feeding frequency, amount and feed loss
- Stocking density, health and stress