What are 3 types of feed in fish farming?

Finding it a challenge to determine the proper diet for your fish? Selecting the wrong food can jeopardize your fish's well-being and jeopardize your farm's profitability. Mastering the fundamentals is crucial.

The three main types of fish feed are natural feed, supplementary feed, and complete feed. Natural feed is what fish find in their environment, while supplementary and complete feeds are provided by the farmer to ensure balanced nutrition and support optimal growth, especially in commercial aquaculture.

As a fish farmer, I've learned that what my fish eat is the cornerstone of my entire operation. It’s more than just food; it’s the fuel for growth, health, and ultimately, my business's success. Now that you know the basic categories, you're probably wondering what the real differences are and which one is right for your farm. Let's dive deeper into each type to help you make a more informed decision for your fish.

What are the three types of fish feed?

Feeling lost trying to choose between natural, supplementary, or complete feeds? This decision is critical, as it directly impacts your fish's growth rate and your farm's overall profitability. Let's clarify them.

The three types are natural, supplementary, and complete feeds. Natural feed is found in the pond. Supplementary feed adds to the natural diet. Complete feed provides all necessary nutrients, making it ideal for high-density farming where natural food is scarce.

In my years of farming, I've worked with all three, and each has its place. The choice isn't always about which one is "best" but which one is right for a specific situation. To really get a handle on this, we need to break down what each type offers and where it shines. I've found that a clear understanding here is the first step toward a more efficient and sustainable farm¹. Let's look at the details.

Natural Feed

Natural feed is the food that already exists in the water. This includes everything from microscopic algae and zooplankton to small insects and aquatic plants. In a natural, low-density environment like a traditional pond², fish can often survive and grow on this alone. The biggest advantage is the cost—it's free. However, relying solely on natural food is risky in a commercial setting. The quantity and nutritional quality can vary wildly depending on the season, water quality, and weather. For a modern farm with many fish in a small area, like one of our collapsible fish tanks, there simply isn't enough natural food to go around.

Supplementary Feed

This is where supplementary feeds³ come in. These are feeds that are meant to complement, not replace, the natural food in a pond. Think of them as a nutritional boost. Common examples include agricultural by-products like rice bran, wheat middlings, or oil cakes. They are generally less expensive than complete feeds and can be a great way to improve growth rates without breaking the bank. I've used them in semi-intensive systems where fish have access to some natural food but need extra energy and protein to grow faster. The downside is that they aren't nutritionally complete. Relying on them too heavily can lead to deficiencies and health problems down the line.

Complete Feed

Complete feeds are the standard in modern, intensive aquaculture. These are carefully formulated and manufactured feeds, usually in pellet form, that provide everything a fish needs to thrive: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. They are designed to be the sole source of nutrition. This is what I rely on for my high-density tanks. The main benefit is control and predictability. With a complete feed, I know my fish are getting a balanced diet every single day, which leads to consistent, optimal growth. The primary drawback is the cost. These feeds are the most expensive option, so managing their use efficiently is key to profitability.

What are the different forms of fish feeds?

Does the physical shape and size of the feed actually matter? Absolutely. Using the wrong form can lead to uneaten food, which means wasted money and polluted water. Let's look at the common forms.

Fish feeds come in several forms, mainly floating pellets, sinking pellets, and fine crumbles or powders. The right choice depends entirely on the fish species' natural feeding habits—whether they eat at the surface, in the middle, or at the bottom—and their age.

Choosing the right form of feed is just as important as choosing the right nutritional content⁶. I learned this the hard way when I first started. I was feeding sinking pellets to a species that preferred to eat at the surface, and I couldn't figure out why my feed costs were so high and my water quality was so poor. It turned out most of the feed was just rotting at the bottom of the tank. Understanding the different feed forms and matching them to your fish is a simple change that can have a huge impact on your farm's efficiency.

Floating Pellets

As the name suggests, these pellets float on the water's surface for an extended period before they slowly break down. This is a huge advantage for farmers because it allows us to directly observe the fish as they eat. We can see how actively they are feeding, which is a great indicator of their health. It also helps prevent overfeeding, as we can stop adding feed as soon as the fish lose interest. This reduces waste and helps maintain good water quality. Floating pellets are perfect for surface-feeding species⁷ like tilapia and trout. They are often processed using a method called extrusion, which cooks the ingredients and can make them more digestible for the fish.

Sinking Pellets

Sinking pellets are denser and drop to the bottom of the tank or pond as soon as they hit the water. This makes them the ideal choice for bottom-dwelling species⁸ like catfish, carp, and shrimp, which have mouths adapted for feeding on the substrate. For these animals, a floating pellet would be unnatural and difficult to eat. While you can't observe the feeding activity as easily, sinking pellets ensure that the food gets to where these specific fish are. The key is to be very careful with the feeding amount. Since you can't see the leftover food, it's easy to overfeed, which can lead to wasted feed and serious water quality problems from the decomposing pellets.

Crumbles and Powders

When fish are very young—in the larval or fry stage—their mouths are far too small to handle even the smallest pellets. This is where crumbles and powders are essential. These are finely ground feeds that are either suspended in the water column or spread across the surface. They provide the critical nutrition that young fish need during their most vulnerable life stage. As I've experienced with my own hatchery, getting the feeding right for fry is a delicate balance. You need to provide enough food for them to grow, but because the particles are so fine, overfeeding can quickly foul the water¹⁰. I often have to feed small amounts multiple times a day to ensure the fry get what they need without ruining their environment.

What are the three methods of feeding fish?

Are you still just tossing food into the water and hoping for the best? Your feeding method could be costing you money and limiting your fish's growth. Let's explore smarter ways to feed.

The three main feeding methods are hand feeding, demand feeding, and automatic feeding. Hand feeding offers maximum control, demand feeding lets fish eat when they are hungry, and automatic feeders provide consistent, scheduled meals for ultimate efficiency.

How you deliver the feed is a critical piece of the puzzle. It’s not just about what you feed, but how you do it. The right method can improve your feed conversion ratio (FCR)¹¹, which is the measure of how efficiently your fish turn feed into body mass. A better FCR means less wasted feed and more profit. Over the years, I've used all three methods, and each has its own set of pros and cons that make it suitable for different situations.

Hand Feeding

Hand feeding is the most basic method. It involves manually broadcasting the feed across the surface of the water at set times. The biggest advantage of hand feeding¹² is that it puts me right there with my fish every day. I can check their behavior, see how aggressively they are eating, and spot any signs of disease or stress early on. This daily observation is invaluable. It also gives me complete control to adjust the feed amount on the spot if the fish seem less hungry or if the weather changes. However, hand feeding is very labor-intensive, especially on a large farm. It can also lead to inconsistent feeding if different people are doing it or if schedules aren't followed strictly.

Demand Feeding

Demand feeders are simple devices that allow the fish to feed themselves. The feeder has a container for the feed and a trigger mechanism¹³, like a pendulum or a rod, that extends into the water. When the fish are hungry, they learn to nudge the trigger, which releases a small amount of feed. This method is great because it ensures fish are fed according to their actual appetite, which can reduce waste. It's a low-tech form of automation that doesn't require electricity. The downside is that it doesn't work for all species, as some fish never learn to use the trigger. It can also be difficult to monitor how much feed is being consumed, and dominant fish might hog the feeder, preventing smaller fish from eating.

Automatic Feeding

Automatic feeders¹⁴ are a game-changer for modern aquaculture. These devices use a timer and a dispenser to automatically release a pre-set amount of feed at scheduled times throughout the day. As I've found, their biggest benefit is the massive reduction in labor. They also provide incredible consistency. Small, frequent meals throughout the day are often better for fish growth and FCR than one or two large meals. Sometimes I try to use automatic feeding equipment to improve efficiency, but the initial investment makes me have to consider it carefully. There's also the risk of malfunction—a broken feeder could mean your fish go unfed, or a stuck one could dump a whole bag of feed, creating a costly mess.

What do fish farmers actually feed their fish?

Ever wonder what's really on the menu at a commercial fish farm? It's rarely a single thing. The daily feed is a careful calculation based on science, experience, and business sense.

Fish farmers use a strategic combination of feeds based on the fish species, its age, the farming system, and financial goals. The aim is always to find the sweet spot that balances rapid growth, robust health, and manageable costs for a sustainable operation.

In my day-to-day work, the question isn't just "what feed to use?" but "what feed to use today, for this group of fish, in this tank?" The answer is always changing. Running a successful fish farm is a dynamic process¹⁶. We are constantly adjusting our feeding strategies to respond to the needs of our fish and the demands of the market. It's a blend of science from feed manufacturers and the practical art of animal husbandry that you only learn from experience.

A Farmer's Daily Decision

On any given day, I'm making decisions that directly impact my bottom line. For fish in my earthen ponds, I might rely on the natural food available and supplement it with a lower-cost feed to boost growth. But for the fish in my Bancy collapsible fish tanks, where the density is much higher, I use a high-quality complete feed¹⁷ exclusively. These tanks are closed systems, so the fish are 100% reliant on what I provide. For my fry and juvenile fish, I use a specialized starter feed that's high in protein to fuel their rapid development. As they grow, I'll transition them to a less expensive grower feed. It's a constant process of matching the feed to the fish's life stage.

Balancing Cost and Quality

As I know all too well, artificial feed is nutritionally balanced, but the cost needs to be weighed. Feed is often the single largest operational expense on a fish farm, sometimes accounting for over 50% of the total cost of production. So, while a high-protein, high-performance feed might produce the fastest growth, it might also be too expensive to be profitable. Many farmers, including myself, use a strategy where we feed a very high-quality diet during the critical early growth stages, and then switch to a more economical feed as the fish approach market size. It's about finding the most cost-effective way to get the fish to the target weight¹⁸ without sacrificing their health.

Special Feeds for Special Needs

There are also times when I need to use special-purpose feeds. For example, if I notice signs of a bacterial infection starting in a tank, I might use a medicated feed that contains an antibiotic. This is a targeted way to treat the fish without having to treat the entire water volume. Similarly, during periods of stress, like after moving fish to a new tank or during extreme temperatures, I might use a feed fortified with extra vitamins and immune-stimulants to help boost their resilience. As I've learned, this kind of special feed is my best choice when the fish are sick or need special care. It's a critical tool for proactive farm management.

Conclusion

Choosing the right feed and feeding method is fundamental to your success. By understanding the types of feed, their forms, and how to deliver them, you can improve fish health and boost farm profitability.