A study of some factors affecting rates of oxygen consumption of plaice, Pleuronectes platessa L.

Oxygen uptake by plaice, Pleuronectes platessa L., was measured using both ‘closed’ and ‘flow‐through’ respirometers. Oxygen consumption was found to be influenced by oxygen concentrations below a critical level of 45–60 mmHg. Rates of oxygen uptake were also affected by fish size, temperature and nutritional status. The problems involved in using values of oxygen consumption, determined in the laboratory, for estimating energy requirements of wild fish are discussed.