6 Best Types of Natural Fish Feed for Cultivation

Natural fish food is feed whose raw materials are taken directly from nature. Usually, natural fish feed has a high fiber content which is generally good for fish digestion. The need for fish for natural food is very high, especially when the fish are still larval size.

Read this article to find out what are the natural fish feeds that contain high protein, let's go!

Types of Fish Feed

1. Natural Feed

Natural feed is feed made from various kinds of organic ingredients taken directly from nature and contains absolutely no chemicals. To make natural feed, you can mix animal and vegetable protein.

However, this natural food is not suitable for intensive cultivation because it is considered less capable of accelerating fish growth. Natural feed can reduce cultivation costs because the price is affordable and can be easily found in nature.

2. Artificial Feed

Artificial feed is feed that is made in a factory with nutritional content that has been regulated in such a way by feed experts to accelerate fish growth. Artificial feed is suitable for intensive cultivation. This is because artificial feed can shorten cultivation time, uniform harvest sizes, and make fish taste more delicious.

Usually ingredients-Additional ingredients and nutrients contained in artificial feed are more complete than natural feed that is prepared alone. In addition, artificial feed is also very practical to use so that it will facilitate cultivation.

One example of artificial feed is pellets. Pellets are highly recommended artificial feed to help fish grow. Usually, the more complete the nutritional content contained in the pellet, the more expensive it is. However, it is the more complete nutritional content that can accelerate fish growth.

Advantages of Natural Fish Feed

One of the advantages of natural food is that it is easy for fish to digest, especially fish that are still in the form of larvae. The small size of natural food such as plankton corresponds to the shallow mouth opening of fish larvae.

Natural food whose natural habitat is in the water is considered not to contaminate your fish pond. In contrast to artificial feed which if not eaten will cause ammonia, so it is toxic to pond water.

The price of natural feed that can be obtained directly from nature is also relatively cheaper so that it can reduce your cultivation costs. Even so, natural food has high nutrition which can support the growth and development of fish.

Lack of Fish Natural Food

Despite all the advantages mentioned above, natural food also has disadvantages. One of the drawbacks of natural feed is that it requires a longer time in the preparation process so that it is ready to be given to fish. In addition to the long time it takes to provide feed, the nutrients contained in natural feed cannot compete with artificial feed which is considered capable of accelerating fish growth.

Some types of natural feed require more handling in terms of maintenance or maintenance. Besides that, natural food in the form of living things can experience death and spread disease to fish so that it will disrupt the continuity of cultivation.

Types of Natural Fish Feed

1. Plankton

One example of natural fish food is plankton. Plankton is rich in fiber so it can nourish the digestion of fish. In addition, plankton contains 21-37% protein which can stimulate fish growth.

The types of plankton that are usually used for fish feed are phytoplankton and zooplankton. Plankton is considered very effective as a natural food for fish, especially those that are still in the form of larvae, because their size matches the mouth opening of fish larvae. 

Plankton is also known as a very effective natural food because it does not pollute the waters if it is not eaten. Unlike pellets which will cause ammonia if it accumulates at the bottom of the pond. To grow plankton and phytoplankton in the pond, you only need to sprinkle a special fertilizer at the start of the pond construction.

2. Water Flea

Although considered pests for humans, water fleas are a highly nutritious food for ornamental and consumption freshwater fish. Water fleas are popularly used for feed because they are easy to find and the price is quite cheap.

In addition, 1 gram of water fleas contains 4% of protein, 0.5% of fat and 0.67% of carbohydrates. Water fleas are suitable for consumption by fish fry and small fish.

3. Artemia

Artemia is an example of natural protein fish food that is suitable for the nutritional needs of fish seeds. Artemia is usually traded in the form of cysts. This makes artemia famous as natural food which is easy and practical because you only have to incubate the cysts.

Artemia is very often used as fish feed because the protein content contained in it is very high compared to other types of feed. In addition, artemia is a type of natural fish food that is durable so it can be stored for a long time.

4. Coconut dregs

Coconut dregs flour can be combined with other ingredients to produce good quality fish feed. Utilization of coconut dregs as feed can help ease the burden on farmers to deal with manufactured feed prices which continue to soar.

5. Worms

The type of worm that is suitable for freshwater fish feed consumption is blood worms (Schistosoma japonicum), earthworms (Lumbricina), and silk worms (Tubifex Sp.). Worms are suitable as feed because of their high content of protein, fat and fiber. 

Due to their small size, blood worms or mosquito larvae are suitable for small fish, while silkworms and earthworms, which are larger in size, are suitable for feeding large fish. Large earthworms are also suitable for use as food for large fish species such as arowana fish and Lohan fish. If you want to give earthworms to farmed fish, you need to chop them up first so that the fish can swallow and digest them more easily.

6. Infusoria

Infusoria is a protozoa that can be used as natural food from cabbage, mustard greens, and papaya skin. To produce infusoria, you can ferment it for 4-7 days. Then, small animals or infusoria will appear and can be given directly to the fish.

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