Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I went to tractor supply to see what they have for fish food. Their pond food is really cheap, just soy bean by products, wheat by products, and pig fat. I can't see where this produces the best fish meat or waste for my system.

I went over to the cat section and found a bag of science diet optimal care. Seems to have better ingredients then the pond food:

Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Brewers Rice , Wheat Gluten, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Egg Product, Calcium Sulfate, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Fish Oil, Soybean Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Iodized Salt, Taurine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Lysine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Oat Fiber, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors, Dried Apples, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Peas

The pellet size and fat to protein ration seem OK, but a bit hard.

What's your opinion?

Thank you,
Jason

Only feed it too your Catfish

Heres a discussion on dog food.

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2200&hilit=dog

So quality cat and dog food is OK. That is a good thread. What about the hardness of the pellets? Do they dissolve the same in fishes bellies?

I use to feed all our leftover catfood to the koi for more than 2 years. It made about 40% of their diet during this period. I now have chickens and the left over food goes to the chooks.

I never noticed any obvious negative effects from the catfood.

They happily swallowed them whole this morning, but were more picky this evening; letting them sink to the bottom and nibbled on them.