Phenotypic Correlations Between Commercial Characters In Channel Catfish

Estimates of correlation from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) sib-families reared in intensively stocked tanks showed that it is possible to predict the family influence in market body weight from body weight data taken as early as 4 weeks. Survival during the first 15 weeks was highly correlated with body weights or lengths from 4 'to 12 weeks. Food conversion during the period 20 to 40 weeks was highly correlated with body weights between 16 and 56 weeks. Correlations between survival and food conversion ratio and, also, between 4 to 12 week body size traits and either 16 to 40 or4l to 56 week survival were not significant.