If you are raising your Tilapia in a pond that has algae and other aquatic plants, you will need to provide little to no food for them. They will feed on all kinds of aquatic plants, insects, larvae, and anything else they can get into their mouths. But for those looking to raise tilapia in a recirculating or aquaponic system, they will need to pay close attention to their food sources to maximize their money. There are many fish foods on the market. Some are good, while others are really good, but they are expensive. If you are trying to raise your fish for personal consumption, the cost of the food may not be that important. However, if you are looking to raise your fish to sell in the market, then we must look for other ways to feed your fish.
Duckweed. If you’ve ever gone fishing in the late summer months in a small pond, have you noticed that little green plant that makes fishing nearly impossible? Well that’s duckweed. This little aquatic plant is a protein powerhouse, and your tilapia will thrive on it. However, you will want to be careful. You don’t want to go down to the local farm pond and take out a bucket and feed it to your fish. Most likely, it adds some really harmful bacteria to your system. I would recommend buying a small bag on eBay from a reputable dealer and growing your own. It will cost you about $ 5. Duckweed grows like wildfire and will double in mass within 24 hours. Also known as bay root, this little floating water plant is richer in protein than soybeans. Humans in some parts of the world eat duckweed, which is cited as an important food source.
Duckweed likes sunlight and water that moves very slowly. You can grow yours in your backyard. Just make a bucket of water and add the duckweed. Nature will take care of the rest.
Caution: Mosquitoes love standing water, so you will need to buy some mosquito fish. These are small tropical fish that are found both locally and on the Internet. These little ones feed on mosquito larvae and will keep your garden free of those pesky bloodsuckers.
PELLETS:
This is most likely your main food source due to its ease of availability. The food you will use depends entirely on the size of your fish. The bigger the fish, the easier it will be to feed the larger pellets. I like to go to pet stores where they sometimes have end of summer sales on their Koi fish food. You want to get the largest bags possible as it will save you the price per pound. I like to stay around .70 cents a pound for commercial fish feed. You will find food for your fry and the fry will cost more since you need to buy special food for the little ones. Your fry and fry are starved for protein and will try to eat whatever you put in their mouths. If you don’t feed your fish enough, they will turn against each other for that protein source. You want a good powdered food source for frying that offers 50% protein to provide rapid growth in that first month.
If you live in rural areas, you most likely have a farm food store where local farmers buy their fertilizers and other types of animal feed. If so, they are most likely branded Purina Catfish or Trout Chow. It is very profitable and will only cost you about .40 cents a pound. If you want to grow your Tilapia to a size that will yield 1 pound in 9 months, you will need to feed these fish 3 to 5 times a day. Local food stores sell it for £ 50. coat.
If you would like more information on how to raise and raise tilapia, see the link below.