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Understanding Fish Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding
Understanding Fish Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding
Prepared or artificial diets may be either complete or sup- Protein levels in aquaculture feeds generally average
plemental. Complete diets supply all the ingredients (pro- 18-20% for marine shrimp, 28-32% for catfish, 32-38% for
tein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals) necessary tilapia, 38-42% for hybrid striped bass. Protein require-
for the optimal growth and health of the fish. Most fish ments usually are lower for herbivorous fish (plant eating)
farmers use complete diets, those containing all the and omnivorous fish (plant-animal eaters) than they are for
required protein (18-50%), lipid (10-25%), carbohydrate carnivorous (flesh-eating) fish, and are higher for fish
(15-20%), ash (< 8.5%), phosphorus (< 1.5%), water (< reared in high density (recirculating aquaculture) than low
10%), and trace amounts of vitamins, and minerals. When density (pond aquaculture) systems.
fish are reared in high density indoor systems or confined
Protein requirements generally are higher for smaller fish.
in cages and cannot forage freely on natural feeds, they
As fish grow larger, their protein requirements usually
must be provided a complete diet.
decrease. Protein requirements also vary with rearing envi-
In contrast, supplemental (incomplete, partial) diets are ronment, water temperature and water quality, as well as
intended only to help support the natural food (insects, the genetic composition and feeding rates of the fish.
algae, small fish) normally available to fish in ponds or Protein is used for fish growth if adequate levels of fats and
outdoor raceways. Supplemental diets do not contain a full carbohydrates are present in the diet. If not, protein may
complement of vitamins or minerals, but are used to help be used for energy and life support rather than growth.
fortify the naturally available diet with extra protein, carbo-
hydrate and/or lipid. Proteins are composed of carbon (50%), nitrogen (16%),
oxygen (21.5%), and hydrogen (6.5%). Fish are capable of
Fish, especially when reared in high densities, require a using a high protein diet, but as much as 65% of the protein
high-quality, nutritionally complete, balanced diet to grow may be lost to the environment. Most nitrogen is excreted
rapidly and remain healthy. as ammonia (NH3) by the gills of fish, and only 10% is lost
as solid wastes. Accelerated eutrophication (nutrient
enrichment) of surface waters due to excess nitrogen from
Protein fish farm effluents is a major water quality concern of fish
Because protein is the most expensive part of fish feed, it is farmers. Effective feeding and waste management practic-
important to accurately determine the protein requirements es are essential to protect downstream water quality.
www.ext.vt.edu
Produced by Communications and Marketing, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2009
Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion,
age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University,
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Mark A. McCann, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg; Alma C. Hobbs, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.
fish. For example, mammals can extract about 4 kcal of
Lipids (fats) energy from 1 gram of carbohydrate, whereas fish can only
Lipids (fats) are high-energy nutrients that can be utilized extract about 1.6 kcal from the same amount of carbohy-
to partially spare (substitute for) protein in aquaculture drate. Up to about 20% of dietary carbohydrates can be
feeds. Lipids supply about twice the energy as proteins and used by fish.
carbohydrates. Lipids typically comprise about 15% of fish
diets, supply essential fatty acids (EFA) and serve as trans- Vitamins
porters for fat-soluble vitamins.
Vitamins are organic compounds necessary in the diet for
A recent trend in fish feeds is to use higher levels of lipids normal fish growth and health. They often are not synthe-
in the diet. Although increasing dietary lipids can help sized by fish, and must be supplied in the diet.
reduce the high costs of diets by partially sparing protein in
the feed, problems such as excessive fat deposition in the The two groups of vitamins are water-soluble and fat-solu-
liver can decrease the health and market quality of fish. ble. Water-soluble vitamins include: the B vitamins, cho-
line, inositol, folic acid, pantothenic acid , biotin and ascor-
Simple lipids include fatty acids and triacylglycerols. Fish bic acid (vitamin C). Of these, vitamin C probably is the
typically require fatty acids of the omega 3 and 6 (n-3 and most important because it is a powerful antioxidant and
n-6) families. Fatty acids can be: a) saturated fatty acids helps the immune system in fish.
(SFA, no double bonds), b) polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFA, >2 double bonds), or c) highly unsaturated fatty The fat-soluble vitamins include A vitamins, retinols
acids (HUFA; > 4 double bonds). Marine fish oils are nat- (responsible for vision); the D vitamins, cholecaciferols
urally high (>30%) in omega 3 HUFA, and are excellent (bone integrity); E vitamins, the tocopherols (antioxidants);
sources of lipids for the manufacture of fish diets. Lipids and K vitamins such as menadione (blood clotting, skin
from these marine oils also can have beneficial effects on integrity). Of these, vitamin E receives the most attention
human cardiovascular health. for its important role as an antioxidant. Deficiency of each
vitamin has certain specific symptoms, but reduced growth
Marine fish typically require n-3 HUFA for optimal growth is the most common symptom of any vitamin deficiency.
and health, usually in quantities ranging from 0.5-2.0% of Scoliosis (bent backbone symptom) and dark coloration
dry diet. The two major EFA of this group are eicosapen- may result from deficiencies of ascorbic acid and folic acid
taenoic acid (EPA: 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid vitamins, respectively.
(DHA:22:6n-3). Freshwater fish do not require the long
chain HUFA, but often require an 18 carbon n-3 fatty acid,
linolenic acid (18:3-n-3), in quantities ranging from 0.5 to
Minerals
1.5% of dry diet. This fatty acid cannot be produced by Minerals are inorganic elements necessary in the diet for
freshwater fish and must be supplied in the diet. Many normal body functions. They can be divided into two
freshwater fish can take this fatty acid, and through enzyme groups (macro-minerals and micro-minerals) based on the
systems elongate (add carbon atoms) to the hydrocarbon quantity required in the diet and the amount present in fish.
chain, and then further desaturate (add double bonds) to Common macro-minerals are sodium, chloride, potassium
this longer hydrocarbon chain. Through these enzyme sys- and phosphorous. These minerals regulate osmotic balance
tems, freshwater fish can manufacture the longer chain n-3 and aid in bone formation and integrity.
HUFA, EPA and DHA, which are necessary for other meta-
Micro-minerals (trace minerals) are required in small
bolic functions and as cellular membrane components.
amounts as components in enzyme and hormone systems.
Marine fish typically do not possess these elongation and
Common trace minerals are copper, chromium, iodine, zinc
desaturation enzyme systems, and require long chain n-3
and selenium. Fish can absorb many minerals directly
HUFA in their diets. Other fish species, such as tilapia,
from the water through their gills and skin, allowing them
require fatty acids of the n-6 family, while still others, such
to compensate to some extent for mineral deficiencies in
as carp or eels, require a combination of n-3 and n-6 fatty
their diet.
acids