A starvation trial was conducted to determine compensatory growth of the juvenile golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus which were deprived of food for 1,2,5 and 7 days respectively. The results of tests in outdoor cement pools and net pens showed that, in the first 15 d, 30 d, the growth of 1 d, 2 'd-deprived groups was probably same with the control group, which accorded with fully compensatory description.However, the weight of 5 d,7 d-deprived fingerlings were lower than that of the control group, which accorded with the description of the patial compensatory growth. As the starvation prolonged, feed conversion efficiency of the starved groups increased and was higher than the control group.Meanwhile, feeding rate also increased, but the fish of 1 d,2 d-deprived groups was lower than that of the control group, and feeding quantity was reduced and lower than the control group. It suggested that the mechanism of compensatory growth was mainly due to improving feed conversion efficiency. Fish biochemical composition was analyzed: the water content and ash of fish sample increased due to starvation, while the lipid and protein decreased. The loss of lipid was higher than that of the protein, and the biochemical composition of fish in each group was restored to the control level by the end of the experiment. It suggested that Trachinotus ovatus may mainly consume lipid during the period of starvation.