A pH range of 7.0 to 8.5 is optimum for growth, but a much wider range is tolerated. Hybrids in culture ponds have survived repeated exposure to a pH of 2.5 for short periods of time. Feeding Hybrid striped bass is a predacious species throughout its life. Fish less than approximately 50 mm feed primarily on crustacean zooplankton such as cladocerans and copepods. Insects of various types and zooplankton continue to be a major part of the diet until the fish are 100 to 125 mm long.
Hybrids switch to fish diet at a very small size if appropriate sized fish are available.
However, this transition usually oc-curs when the hybrids are larger than 100 mm. Threadfin shad and gizzard shad are the most common fish prey species. However, many species of forage fish have been found in stomachs of hybrids. There is seasonal variation in feeding habits with a shift towards larger organisms in the winter and summer. However, optimum growing conditions occur when water temperatures are 25 to 27 C. Hybrids grow rapidly during their first two years of life.