PREPARATION OF ORNAMENTAL

FISH FEED
Preparation of dry feed using two
ingredients
Using rice bran (protein 9%) and ground
nut oil cake (protein 45%) a fish diet with 27%
protein can be prepared as follows.
A square is constructed and the two
ingredients are put on the two left corners along
with the protein content of each. The desired
protein level of the feed is placed in the middle of
the square. Next, the protein level of the feed is
subtracted from that of the ingredients and the
answer is placed in the opposite corner.
Square method
 Square method – Contd…
Now the figures on the right side corner of the square are added
i.e.18+18=36

Then the % of rice bran to be added in the feed

18
= ---------- x 100 = 50%
36
18
% of Groundnut Oil cake = ---------- x 100 = 50%
36
To make 1 kg feed 500g rice bran and 500g-groundnut oil
cake should be added.
Flow chart - Preparation of dry feed
Feed ingredients
↓
Sieved through 300 micron mesh
↓
Mixing
↓
Addition of water 30 – 35%
↓
Dough
↓
Cooking for 15 min in pressure cooker
↓
Cooled
↓
Oil + Vitamin + Antioxidant + growth promotion + Antibiotic + colouring
agent sprayed over the feed.
↓
Remixing
↓
Pressed through hand pelletiser (2mm)
↓
Drying
Dry feeds
 Culture of live food organisms
Infusoria
Materials used for culturing infusorians
include hay, banana peels, dried beans, lettuce,
cabbage, egg yolk, malted milk, skimmed milk
(dried), hay seed, dried blood, spinach, dried
aquatic plants, etc. A medium may be prepared by
first boiling any one of the above ingredients, It is
then diluted with freshwater, kept in a plastic
trough or cement tank of 50 to 100 lit. capacity.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Infusoria
The fertilized water medium may be
covered with velon screen for bacterial
development, fermentation and subsequent
leaching of nutrients. Within four days, the
water turns greenish, which indicates the
production of infusorians. A mild aeration
and alkaline pH may enhance the
production of the infusorians.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Rotifers
The common freshwater rotifers are
suitable for feeding a variety of ornamental fishes.
The mass culture of these rotifers could be
undertaken in plastic troughs or circular tanks of
250 l capacity. A mixture of poultry droppings,
groundnut oilcake and triple super phosphate is
prepared at 150ppm, 20ppm and 20ppm
respectively and are added to the tanks containing
water.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Rotifers
The medium is then inoculated with
Brachionus sp. on the third day at the rate of 10-
15 animals per ml. The above liquid manure may
also be added in alternate days when the density
reaches 1 ml organisms/m3. A bolting silk and
plankton net of 50mm mesh size could be used to
sieve out the organisms for feeding the fishes. The
harvested rotifers should be washed in freshwater
before their use in feeding the fish fry.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Blood worm (Chironomus larva)
The intermediate stage of the midge fly is
commonly called as bloodworms. These worms are
ideal live food source to all varieties of ornamental
fishes. The chironomid fly normally lays about
2000 eggs at a time in any substratum of the
stagnant water and such eggs hatch out in the
presence of sunlight in a period of about three days.
The larvae attain the optimum size in about 15-20
days, when they are ready for feeding fishes. These
worms could be disturbing the mud bottom.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Blood worm (Chironomus larva)
The larvae of chironomus feed on
phytoplankton like Nitzschia sp., Navicula sp,
Chlorella sp, Chlamydomonas sp. etc. Hence any
organic manure, which helps in the generation of
these algae, may be used for fertilizing the pond to
facilitate the adult fly to lay the eggs. Organic
manures like cow dung, pigdung, poultry waste
either alone or in combination with groundnut
oilcake and super phosphate may also be used to
enhance the production of algae and flagellates.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Blood worm (Chironomus larva)
Tanks of any size may be used in the
production of Chironomus larvae. Larvae
collected from the wild should be washed
and treated with suitable dose of antibiotics
in order to prevent bacterial or pathogenic
infection.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Tubifecid
The tubifecid worms are annelids,
which normally dwell inside tubular cases.
They are common in sludge banks or silty
shores of aquatic areas rich in nutrients. As
they are available throughout the year, the
supply is not restricted. As Tubifex contains
n3 and n6 fatty acids, it is an ideal live food
source especially for brood fishes such as
goldfish, angel and ocsar.
 Culture of live food organisms –
Contd…
Tubifecid
Tubifex could also be cultured in race
ways fertilized with organic manures. For
harvesting tubifecid worms from the wild
habitats i.e, soil, the latter is first dried.
During drying, the animals would lump
together and form balls. These balls should
be washed in running water to remove the
gut contents before feeding them to fishes.
Live food organisms