Objective  Effects of starvation stress and different initial starting forages on the feeding, growth and survival rate of Mastacembelue armatus larvae were studied with a reference to the aquaculture.

  Method  Absorptions on yolk sac and fat globules as well as the point of no return (PNR) of starved larvae were observed by methods of experimental ecology. Eel larvae fed with either freshwater cladocera, nauplius of brine shrimp, egg yolk, crustacean powder or prepared Larvstart-A formulation for 24 d were also under continuous observations．

  Result  The feeding started on the eel larvae at 6-day-old in (27.0±1.5)℃water with an initial feeding rate of 100%. The PNR of starved larvae occurred between 14-d and 15-d of age. Starvation delayed the absorptions on yolk sac and fat globules by the larvae. The consumption on live freshwater cladocera and shrimp nauplius began one day after feeding with 100% feeding rate, and followed by rapid growth with a high survival rate. There was no significant difference on the growth and survival rate between the starved larvae and those fed on the artificial forages such as egg yolk, crustacean powder or Larvstart-A (P＞0.05), which were could not be consumed.

  Conclusion  It appeared that the ideal starting diet for M. armatus larvae would be the freshwater cladocera and brine shrimp nauplius.