Fish Nutrition

Oct-20 1
 Introduction
• Good nutrition in animal production systems
is essential to economically produce a healthy,
high quality product.
• In fish farming, nutrition is critical because
feed represents 40-50% of the production
costs.
• Fish nutrition has advanced dramatically in
recent years with the development of new,
balanced commercial diets that promote
optimal fish growth and health.
Oct-20 2
Prepared (Artificial) diet
• Prepared or artificial diets may be either
complete or supplemental.
• Complete diets supply all the ingredients
(protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and
minerals) necessary for the optimal growth and
health of the fish.
• When fish are reared in high density indoor
systems or confined in cages and cannot forage
freely on natural feeds, they must be provided
a complete diet.
Oct-20 3
• Most fish farmers use complete diets, those
containing all the required
– Protein (18-50%)
– Lipid (10-25%)
– Carbohydrate (15-20%)
– Ash (< 8.5%)
– Phosphorus (< 1.5%)
– Water (< 10%), and trace amounts of vitamins,
and minerals.

Oct-20 4
• Supplemental (incomplete, partial) diets are
intended only to help support the natural food
(insects, algae, small fish) normally available
to fish in ponds or outdoor raceways.
• Supplemental diets do not contain a full
complement of vitamins or minerals, but are
used to help fortify the naturally available diet
with extra protein, carbohydrate and/or lipid.

Oct-20 5
 Protein
• Protein is the most expensive part of fish feed
• It is important to accurately determine the
protein requirements for each species and size of
cultured fish.
• The 10 essential amino acids that must be
supplied by the diet are: methionine, arginine,
threonine, tryptophan, histidine, isoleucine,
lysine, leucine, valine and phenylalanine.
• Lysine and methionine are often the first limiting
amino acids.
Oct-20 6
• Fish feeds prepared with plant (soybean meal)
protein typically are low in methionine;
therefore, extra methionine must be added to
soybean-meal based diets in order to promote
optimal growth and health.
• It is important to know and match the protein
requirements and the amino acid requirements
of each fish species reared.
• Protein requirements usually are lower for
herbivorous fish and omnivorous fish than they
are for carnivorous fish
Oct-20 7
• Protein levels in aquaculture feeds generally
– 18-20% for marine shrimp
– 28-32% for catfish
– 32-38% for tilapia
– 38-42% for hybrid striped bass.

• Protein requirements usually are higher for fish

reared in high density (recirculating aquaculture)
than low density (pond aquaculture) systems.

Oct-20 8
• Protein requirements generally are higher for
smaller fish.
• As fish grow larger, their protein requirements
usually
decrease.
• Protein requirements also vary with
– rearing environment
– water temperature and water quality
– The genetic composition and feeding rates of the fish.
• Protein is used for fish growth if adequate levels
of fats and carbohydrates are present in the diet.
– If not, protein may be used for energy and life support
rather than growth.

Oct-20 9
 Lipids(Fats)
• Lipids are high-energy nutrients that can be
utilized to partially substitute for protein in
aquaculture feeds.
• Lipids supply about twice the energy as
proteins and carbohydrates.
• Lipids typically comprise about 15% of fish
diets, supply essential fatty acids (EFA) and
serve as transporters for fat-soluble vitamins.

Oct-20 10
• A recent trend in fish feeds is to use higher levels of
lipids in the diet.
• Although increasing dietary lipids can help
reduce the high costs of diets by partially sparing
protein in the feed.
• Simple lipids include fatty acids and triacylglycerols.
• Fish typically require fatty acids of the omega 3 and
6 (n-3 and n-6) families.
• Fatty acids can be:
– saturated fatty acids
– polyunsaturated fatty acids
– highly unsaturated fatty acids
Oct-20 11
• Marine fish oils are naturally high (>30%) in omega 3
HUFA, and are excellent sources of lipids for the
manufacture of fish diets.
• Lipids from these marine oils also can have beneficial
effects on human cardiovascular health.
• Marine fish typically require n-3 HUFA for optimal
growth and health, usually in quantities ranging from
0.5-2.0% of dry diet.
• The two major EFA of this group are
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA).
Oct-20 12
• 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 1.5% of dry
diet.
• This fatty acid cannot be produced by
freshwater fish and must be supplied in the
diet.
• Many freshwater fish can take this fatty acid,
and through enzyme systems elongate (add
carbon atoms) to the hydrocarbon chain, and
then further desaturate (add double bonds) to
this longer hydrocarbon chain.
Oct-20 13
• Through these enzyme systems, freshwater
fish can manufacture the longer chain n-3
HUFA, EPA and DHA, which are necessary for
other metabolic functions.
• Marine fish typically do not possess these
elongation and desaturation enzyme systems,
and require long chain n-3 HUFA in their diets.

Oct-20 14
 Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates (starches and sugars) are the most
economical and inexpensive sources of energy for
fish diets.
• Although not essential, carbohydrates are included
in aquaculture diets to reduce feed costs and for
their binding activity during feed manufacturing.
• Dietary starches are useful in the extrusion
manufacture of floating feeds.
• Cooking starch during the extrusion process makes it
more biologically available to fish.
Oct-20 15
• In fish, carbohydrates are stored as glycogen
that can be mobilized to satisfy energy
demands.
• They are a major energy source for mammals,
but are not used efficiently by fish.

Oct-20 16
 Vitamins
• Vitamins are organic compounds necessary in
the diet for normal fish growth and health.
• They often are not synthesized by fish, and
must be supplied in the diet.
• The two groups of vitamins are
– water-soluble
– fat-soluble.

Oct-20 17
• Water-soluble vitamins include:
– B vitamins
– Choline
– Inositol
– folic acid
– pantothenic acid
– biotin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
• Vitamin C probably is the most important
because it is a powerful antioxidant and helps
the immune system in fish.

Oct-20 18
• The fat-soluble vitamins include
– A vitamins, retinols (responsible for vision)
– D vitamins, cholecaciferols (bone integrity)
– E vitamins, the tocopherols (antioxidants)
– K vitamins such as menadione (blood clotting, skin
integrity).

• Vitamin E receives the most attention for its

important role as an antioxidant.

Oct-20 19
 Minerals
• Minerals are inorganic elements necessary in the
diet for normal body functions.
• They can be divided into two groups (macro-
minerals and micro-minerals) based on the
quantity required in the diet and the amount
present in fish.
• Common macro-minerals are sodium, chloride,
potassium and phosphorous.
• These minerals regulate osmotic balance and aid
in bone formation and integrity.
Oct-20 20
• Micro-minerals (trace minerals) are required in
small amounts as components in enzyme and
hormone systems.
• Common trace minerals are copper, chromium,
iodine, zinc and selenium.
• Fish can absorb many minerals directly from the
water through their gills and skin

Oct-20 21
 Feed Types
• Commercial fish diets are manufactured as
either extruded (floating or buoyant) or
pressure-pelleted (sinking) feeds.
• Both floating or sinking feed can produce
satisfactory growth, but some fish species
prefer floating, others sinking.
• Shrimp, for example, will not accept a floating
feed, but most fish species can be trained to
accept a floating pellet.

Oct-20 22
• Extruded feeds are more expensive due to the
higher manufacturing costs.
• Usually, it is advantageous to feed a floating
(extruded) feed, because the farmer can directly
observe the feeding intensity of his fish and
adjust feeding rates accordingly.
• Determining whether feeding rates are too low or
too high is important in maximizing fish growth
and feed use efficiency.

Oct-20 23
• Feed is available in a variety of sizes ranging
from fine crumbles for small fish to large (1/2
inch or larger) pellets.
• The pellet size should be approximately 20-
30% of the size of the fish species mouth gap.
• Feeding too small a pellet results in inefficient
feeding because more energy is used in
finding and eating more pellets.

Oct-20 24