Growth, survival and food conversion rates, as well as sexual development and fat metabolism, were investigated in the Sparid fish Pagellus acarne reared at different densities, in order to assess the most convenient conditions for farming of this species. Three different population densities were tested. The group reared at lowest density showed an increase in weight of 75 g over 220 days, with FCR increasing from 4.7 to 8.5. Since this species is hermaphroditic, special attention was paid to maturity stages of the bisexual gonads. A close relationship exists between such aspect and the results of the biochemical analysis of liver fatty acid fraction. From these data, together with the other results, conclusions can be drawn which allow to penetrate deeper inside the development processes of a fish population intensively reared.