Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were stocked at rates of 250, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 fry /208 1 drum, and reared to fingerling size. No significant differences occurred in rate of gain from days 0-33, but gains ranged from 0.22 g/day at the 250 stocking rate to 0.08 g/day at the 2,000 stocking rate from days 0-70. The highest average total biomass of 10,095 g was reached at the 2,000 stocking rate. Flow rate was maintained at a constant 0.32 I/sec in all drums. Food conversion from days 17-70 ranged from 1.42 at the 250 stocking rate to 2.67 at the 2,000 stocking rate. Water quality was monitored to evaluate the effect on growth. Oxygen concentration became a critical limiting factor as total biomass increased. Growth rates were best at the lower stocking rates in which the oxygen concentrations were higher.
