Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Went to a Aquafarm today and they use chicken pellets for there fish. No fish pellets on the place. This is for fingerling up to adult fish.

No good for growing fish out to a big size quickly, chook food is only up to 20% protein, mostly around 15%.

GROBEST had there protien at 35%. I'm not to worried about it taking a little more time as this is the systems first year. But the price difference is $40 ish plus freight compared to $17 a bag accross the road from me. Can you add more protien with eggs etc to the mix.

If your in no rush the chook food would be fine. Pretty much could only be used on Silvers/Jades though - Trout and Barra need all the protein you can give them, only a short growing season.

Be careful what chook feed you use - some have additional medications etc. added for the chooks - not sure what they would do to the fish - and they have the potential to build up in the system... Some of the local red claw growers here feed chook pellets but I think they drain the dams before the next lot.

If your fish start growing feathers ,, you know what happened:)

Protein supplementation with worms ,, insects etc will help.
I think if you start using eggs ,, your costs will end up higher than buying the better food in the first place/

I started feeding my fish (Tilapia, Pacu, and Koi) cat food when my feed store ran out of trout chow. The protein content is above 30% -- the fat content at 10% worries me a little -- so I've been supplementing with weeds and culled lettuce. None of my fish have grown fur and started "meowing." Maybe they'll turn into catfish?

Getting chickens to help my fear of mowing the back lawn.