Food is the basic element of life for all animals. Like other animals, fish also need a sufficient amount of nutritious food for normal growth and survival.
Maximum fish production is not possible without nutritious feed. A well-balanced nutritious fish food contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.
Foods such as moss or aquatic insects that grow naturally in the pond are not enough for the fish. Initially, the pond contains natural food that the fish can eat within a few days.
Fertilizing a pond for the production of natural fodder also cannot ensure proper and necessary fodder production. As a result, the fish cannot grow rapidly.
In addition to natural foods, complementary foods ensure the rapid growth of fish. Thus, it is necessary to use top dressing in the pond to achieve high fish productivity in a short time in a small area.
Different types of fish food
There are generally two types of fish food. Natural food and nutrition. These two types are described below.
Natural fish food
Foods that grow naturally in a pond or stream due to the natural fertility of the soil and water and through the application of fertilizers are called natural fish foods.
Natural food is the main source of food necessary for survival. The presence of natural forage indicates the capacity of the watercourse for primary production. Here are natural fish foods.
- plankton
- Wolfia, Eichornia, Pistia, Lemna
- Tiny aquatic insects
- Decomposed part of animals and plants
- Basal organic elements
- Different types of herbs (napier, steam, etc.)
Complementary food for fish
Fish need supplemental food in addition to the natural food available in the water for their normal growth.
This supplementary food provided to fish is called supplementary fish food. Below are the ingredients for fish food.
- rice bran
- Refined legume and coarse wheat foods
- Mustard or sesame cake
- Fish meal (fish powder)
- cereal crops
- silk food set
- Blood and entrails of a bird or animal
- Green leaves of various vegetables
- Minerals and vitamins
- Rest of the kitchen
- Maize powder and cleaned straw
- Dried molasses, etc.
