Does this feed have anything in it like flax to boost Omega-3?
i'm not certain that Omega-3 would fix inside the fish or pass through, but if it increased the Omega-3 in the final fillet then the fish produced could be marketed as being much healthier than the competition.
All of our ingredients are listed on our website! (I fixed the link)
I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
You're never too old to learn something
Aquaponics - food'n'fish at your doorstep
Helena, Montana - Home of the Northernmost Monument to the Confederacy
The question that I have to ask however is this -- if you are using non-terrestrial sources for the protein and fat in the aquaculture feeds, where are they coming from? If they are coming from fish stocks suck as herring and menhaden (and almost all others...) then in someways it is not really helping the overall problem of overfishing. Over 97% of every commercial fishery that exists in the world is over-fished to some degree. If we are over-harvesting naturally occurring fishery species simply to produce a feed for our aquaculture industry, than are we really doing anything to make our economy (world) more sustainable?
Sorry about the soap-box rant... I am not meaning to offend anyone, this is just something that I feel very strongly about.
Phoenix
I've read both sides of this argument, and there are just as many stats that indicate that the oceans are not 'overfished' as some say. I only go with what is the best for the fish, which isn't terrestrial animals with mad cow diseases or chicken feathers with no value. I can only go with what I want to put into my stomach No offense meant or intended
I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
You're never too old to learn something
Aquaponics - food'n'fish at your doorstep
Helena, Montana - Home of the Northernmost Monument to the Confederacy
I use Zeigler's. It is very good and less expensive than what is quoted above. I use Finfish Silver 3mm floating pellets and it does not cause cloudy water like Purina does. You have to watch the ingredients closely. Beleive it or not, they are allowed to use chicken feathers and count it as protein, even though it is not digestible. Got to watch those fillers.
Anyway, if you have a local feed store, ask them if they are a member of the Cooperative Feed Dealers (USA) - 800-333-0895 ext. 314. They don't stock it, but they order it and there is no charge for shipping. I just pick it up when they call me. Last order was $40 for a 44# bag. You can crush it for fry.
I'm new here, in fact I found this forum in a Google search about tilapia feed. You said above that you use Zeigler's feed and then you warned "You have to watch the ingredients closely. Believe it or not, they are allowed to use chicken feathers and count it as protein, even though it is not digestible. Got to watch those fillers." Looking at the link you gave above to Zeigler's fish food, the ingredient list shows "Hydrolyzed Feather Meal." Isn't that what you were warning us about?
I finally got an answer on Hydrolyzed Feather Meal. Chicken feathers are cooked in steam at around 35# of pressure. This breaks down the stuff that makes the feathers undigestible.
That's interesting... I guess they are finding new ways to use leftovers or byproducts from other agricultural processes and using them as salable products once processed. This is kind of what we do in aquaponics, the byproduct of one system is the input of another! I like it! I hope it's safe... haha
what percentage of the fishes diet do you provide with your hydroponics gardens, with leftover veggies, and how much do you have to subsidize with commercial fish food?