Fish were offered either restricted feeding (5% of body weight or 1% body weight as maintenance requirement) or appetite feeding subdivided into three equal feeds. The best (P<0.05) growth response in terms of final body weight, percent weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) was observed for feeding schedule I (control), for fish fed to appetite throughout. Feeding schedule II showed significantly the highest (P<0.05) growth response in terms of final body weight, percent weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) in comparison with other feeding schedules. Growth rate and food conversion efficiency (FCE) in feeding schedule II were markedly higher during phase II in comparison with phase I. Phase I (0-4 weeks) growth rate slightly increased in fish fed restricted ration throughout (T-II). In contrast, in phase II (4-8 weeks) fish were fed to appetite throughout (T-II) showed a rapid increase in fortnightly growth response and higher growth rates, feed consumption and FCE.