Producing the natural food for the fish species.

[Laurence Hutchinson]

The production of live food for the fish species being farmed, make you system sustainable

[George]

I go out at night with a light to catch lizards for a bass in my tank.  He likes them.  

Also have earthworms, composting worms, black soldier fly larvae.  Caterpillars and cutworms are thrown in the tank, slugs too.  Still need fish food.

[David]

My catfish love red wiggler worms and earthworms. I raise worms in separate beds. I also plan to raise crickets, and I just read a thread on this forum about raising maggots for fish.

[Laurence Hutchinson]

What is the natural diet of catfish, you should know as you are keeping them, surely their welfare is important to you?

David said:

My catfish love red wiggler worms and earthworms. I raise worms in separate beds. I also plan to raise crickets, and I just read a thread on this forum about raising maggots for fish.

[David]

I agree and it is important. Worms and bugs of many sorts are included as they are scavengers. I'm sure Purina Aquamax 400 isn't on their normal menu, yet they get it everyday.

Laurence Hutchinson said:

What is the natural diet of catfish, you should know as you are keeping them, surely their welfare is important to you?

David said:

My catfish love red wiggler worms and earthworms. I raise worms in separate beds. I also plan to raise crickets, and I just read a thread on this forum about raising maggots for fish.

[Laurence Hutchinson]

Improve your knowledge of the fish species you are using in that way what you say may be more relevant to people reading, so what is their natural diet?

David said:

I agree and it is important. Worms and bugs of many sorts are included as they are scavengers. I'm sure Purina Aquamax 400 isn't on their normal menu, yet they get it everyday.

Laurence Hutchinson said:

What is the natural diet of catfish, you should know as you are keeping them, surely their welfare is important to you?

David said:

My catfish love red wiggler worms and earthworms. I raise worms in separate beds. I also plan to raise crickets, and I just read a thread on this forum about raising maggots for fish.

[David]

"The channel catfish is omnivorous and opportunistic in its feeding, gorging on all manner of living and dead material...A large part of the natural diet of the channel catfish is aquatic insects and their larvae. Crayfish, snails, small clams, worms and fish, both live and dead, are taken as part of the diet. The catfish is not a selective feeder and takes advantage of the food at hand. In the spring of the year its stomach may be packed with elm seeds and cotton from cottonwood trees. Other natural foods include such items as wild grapes, weed seeds, wild fruits, and other vegetable materials dropped into the stream from overhanging branches. Large channel catfish feed almost exclusively on fish." - Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

I hope this helps.
 
Laurence Hutchinson said:

Improve your knowledge of the fish species you are using in that way what you say may be more relevant to people reading, so what is their natural diet?

David said:

I agree and it is important. Worms and bugs of many sorts are included as they are scavengers. I'm sure Purina Aquamax 400 isn't on their normal menu, yet they get it everyday.

Laurence Hutchinson said:

What is the natural diet of catfish, you should know as you are keeping them, surely their welfare is important to you?

David said:

My catfish love red wiggler worms and earthworms. I raise worms in separate beds. I also plan to raise crickets, and I just read a thread on this forum about raising maggots for fish.

[Laurence Hutchinson]

David, each fish species has a known diet, scientists study them for years and information regards the diets requirements of fish are available, not knowing what you fish actually eat amongst the 200+ options that they have is a serious over site as the their, growth, welfare and health requirements are to important to continue guessing, just because you have found there are three items they like. I suspect the the physiological and behavioural needs of your chosen fish species looks as though it is mystery to you all, at least from the responses I am receiving.

[George]

My fish are in an unnatural environment and I'm not concerned with providing them with an exclusively natural diet.  They are provided a combination of natural and unnatural foods.  I'm content with that arrangement and they have no choice but to live with it.  Too, my fish serve merely as a nutrient source for plants, which I eat.  When I want natural fish, I catch them from oceans, rivers or lakes.  Those wild fish are entirely natural, except for the sewage, pesticides, herbicides, misc other chemicals and mercury which humans seem too think are great to pollute with.  

My tank fish probably have better quality water than most out in the natural world but feeding them an all natural diet didn't make my priority list.  They are fed quality food but not all natural food.  If you provide an all natural diet to your fish, congratulations and carry on.

[paul burton]

Is it possible to raise black soldier flies in England.?
Or are they prohibited.

[David]

@ George: +1, I raise my fish for maximum health, maximum growth, and nutrition for my vegetables.

@ Laurence: Please actually read the posts!

1) CATFISH EAT ANYTHING!

2) Mine eat Aquamax 4000 and worms

3) I read about raising maggots on this forum, I don't raise or feed them to my fish (only two things they "like" not 3).

I am all for sustainable but I don't intend to feed my fish any garbage they may encounter in nature such as seeds and cottonwood blossoms. I feed them a balanced nutritional diet.

I was under the impression that you were either looking for information, or had something of value to add. If your intent is only to troll those that respond to your posts then please don't. If you have anything of value to add we all look forward to it.

Cheers.

[George]

This question to everyone using Aquamax:  Are you see much in the way of undigested solids?  

David said:

2) Mine eat Aquamax 4000 and worms

[George]

David, have you seen black soldier flies?  You should be able to cultivate them.  They're great for disposing of kitchen waste.  They're prevalent in my compost and generally I just toss a shovelful in my chicken yard from time to time but sometimes I harvest them for fish.  

http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/