Abstract: In order to study the optimal feeding rate between the hybrid porgy (HF₂) of Acanthopagrus schlegelii ♀(black porgy) × Pagrus major♂(red porgy) and black porgy, four feeding rates of 2.5%, 4.0%, 5.5% and 7.0% were designed to compare the differences in growth performance, growth related gene expression and digestive enzyme activity between the two kinds of fish under different feeding rates.The results showed that the final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR) and igf1 gene expression levels of the HF₂ and black porgy increased firstly and then decreased, and the 4.0% group was significantly higher than the other three groups (P<0.05); the expression of ghr gene in the 4.0% group was significantly lower than the 2.5% group, and there was no significant difference between the other two groups (P>0.05) when the feeding rate increased; the lipase activity decreased significantly while the feeding rate increased to 4.0% (P<0.05); and hepatosomatic index(HSI), survival rate (SR) and pepsin activity decreased significantly while the feeding rate was increased to 7.0% (P<0.05).Feeding rate had no significant effect on coefficient of variation and feed conversion ratio of the two fishes (P>0.05).FBW, WGR, SGR, pepsin activities and igf1 gene expression of the HF₂ in the 4.0% and 5.5% groups were significantly higher than those of black porgy (P<0.05).The results revealed that the optimal feeding rates of the HF₂ and black porgy was 4.0%, and the growth performance and digestive capacity of the HF₂ were better than that of black porgy.