Under conditions of simultaneous access to food of unbalanced nutrient composition, fish learn to consume those diet components that provide their energetic and nutritional needs. In trophic ecology and ethology, this form of dietary behaviour is named dietary self-selection or macronutrient self-selection.

In the bibliographic list given below, you will find the basic references allowing to learn the main aspects of this phenomenon. In fishing, for example, the right design of baits, lures and groundbaits is impossible without deep knowledge in this area.

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Basic References

Almaida-Pagán P.F., Rubio V.C., Mediola P., De Costa J., Madrid J.A. 2006. Macronutrient selection through post-ingestive signals in sharpsnout seabream fed gelatine capsules and challenged with protein dilution. Physiology & Behavior 88, 550-558

Aranda A., Sánchez-Vázquez F.J., Zamora S., Madrid J.A. 2000. Self-design of fish diets by means of self-feeders: validation of procedures. Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry 56, 155-166.

Aranda A., Sánchez-Vázquez F.J., Madrid J.A. 2001. Effect of short-term fasting on macronutrient self-selection in sea bass. Physiology & Behavior 73, 105-109

Geurden I., Cuvier A., Gondouin E., Olsen R.E., Ruohonen K., Kaushik S., Boujard T. 2005. Rainbow trout can discriminate between feeds with different oil sources. Physiology & Behavior 85, 107-114

Huntingford F., Jobling M., Kadri S. (Editors). 2012. Aquaculture and Behavior. Wiley-Blackwell, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, United Kingdom

Moore B., Marsh K., Wallis I. 2005. Taught by animals: how understanding diet selection leads to better zoo diets. International Zoo Yearbook 39, 43-61

Rubio V.C., Sánchez-Vázquez F.J., Madrid J.A. 2003. Macronutrient selection through postingestive signals in sea bass fed on gelatine capsules. Physiology & Behavior 78, 795-803

Rubio V.C., Sánchez-Vázquez F.J., Madrid J.A. 2005. Fish macronutrient selection through post-ingestive signals: Effect of selective macronutrient deprivation. Physiology & Behavior 84, 651-657

Rubio V.C., Boluda Navarro D., Madrid J.A., Sánchez-Vázquez F.J. 2009. Macronutrient self-selection in Solea senegalensis fed macronutrient diets and challenged with dietary protein dilutions. Aquaculture 291, ... Read more »