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Twelve groups of 10 Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr were screened for dominance in small tanks with a single localized food source using a serial removal method and the top, middle and bottom two fish in each group were classified as high, medium and low social status, respectively. These 72 ranked fish were weighed and formed into four groups or waves, each consisting of six fish of each status category. The fish were given dye marks according to status and wave and were then introduced into an artificial stream in four waves over a 12‐day period. Patterns of settlement/emigration were recorded over a 2‐month period, at the end of which the fish were removed from the stream, identified and reweighed, and daily specific growth rates calculated. Fifty‐one fish established feeding stations in the flume, the remainder emigrating via a downstream trap. The average growth rate over the 2‐month period was 0·87 …