Abstract: The compensatory growth of mud carp( Cirrhinus chinensis Günther),following 4 weeks of feed deprivation or ration restriction,was studied at Nan’ao Marine Biology Station in Shantou during December 2001 and March 2002 In the study,the control group was fed to satiation during the 12 week experimental period The other two groups were deprived or restricted from feed for 4 weeks and then were fed to satiation for 8 weeks The blood,1iver,and white muscle were sampled from six fish each time at weeks 0,1,2,4 in the period of feed deprivation or ration restriction,and at weeks 2,4,8 in the re feeding period,respectively The results showed that the concentration of plasma glucose,lipid and protein was rapidly decreased after starvation or ration restriction for 1-2 weeks compared with those in full ration controls After re feeding for 8 weeks,all the above biochemical parameters in blood were recovered to the level of the control group These results indicate that these biochemical parameters in blood were sensitive to feed deprivation or ration restriction After starvation for one or two weeks,the content of the glycogen in liver and white muscle,and that of liver lipid decreased rapidly,however,the lipid content in white muscle and protein content in liver and white muscle had no significant difference from the controls After re feeding,all the above parameters in liver and white muscle were recovered to the levels of the controls The results suggested that mud carp can take good advantage of glycogen,subsequent lipid as energy material During the starvation period,body water content increased, however,the contents of glycogen and lipid decreased,which indicated a significantly negative relation between lipid,glycogen and water content respectively At the end of the experiments,the contents of glycogen,lipid and protein in blood and liver,as well as white muscle in treated groups didn’t differ significantly from the control groups The body weight of treated groups also recovered to the level of the control group It is suggested that mud carp have a completely compensatory growth during re feeding for 8 weeks,following 4 weeks of feed deprivation or ration restriction.