Experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of feeding frequency on feeding rate,specific growth rate,food efficiency and protease activities in a native fish,Pelteobagrus vachelli.Five groups of the juveniles were fed to satiation including: one meal in two days,one meal per day,tow meals per day,three meals per day or four meals per day for 60 days,and the fish were sampled every 20 days.The results showed that from the 21st to 60th day,as feeding frequency increasing,the feeding rate and special growth rate increased significantly(P<0.05);and the fish fed with three meals per day showed higher food efficiency than the fish fed with one meal in two days(P<0.05);but the rests were not significantly different with each other(P>0.05).On the other hand,as feeding frequency decreased,stomach and gut protease activities increased significantly(P<0.05).The present study suggested that the feeding rate of three meals per day is profitable for intensive culture of Pelteobagrus vachelli.