Aquaponic Gardening

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I have approximately 85 Tilapia in a 300 gallon tank. I ordered  a new fish food I haven't used before from Premium Fish Food Co. called Ultimate ORGANIC Fish Food. It is a larger pellet than I was using as the fish have grown. I have lost 7 Tilapia since I started feeding that food and the fish don't like the food either...My water conditions are perfect so it's not that. Don't know for certain that the feed is killing the fish or something else. Any body have this problem? Also, A couple of the fish that died I noticed at the top of the water swimming slowly and they even let me touch them. Later I found them dead. I have Two aerator stones in my tank....A couple of times I had them off for maintenance and forgot to turn them on for a day.

And what feed are you guys using? My fish love red leaf lettuce and zucchini...Can Tilapia be fed on just fresh vegetables?

Also, do you all remove solid fish waste from your tanks?

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Hi Sherrie,

It's difficult to say what the cause of death is with any certainty. Have you observed any eye or skin lesions or other signs of illness? I think you're probably right to suspect any recent changes to what had been a healthy routine feed, etc. And I recall seeing this site that sells "Ultimate ORGANIC Fish Food" and seeing their list of ingredients.

 "Ingredients: Organic Wheat Middlings, Organic Rice Bran, Organic Canola Meal, Organic Corn, Organic Linseed Meal, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Reed Sedge Peat, Monosodium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Folic Acid, Niacin, Choline Chloride, Biotin, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Calcium Pantothenate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Beta Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Ascorbic Acid, Yeast Culture, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ferric Choline Citrate Complex, Organic Dried Kelp, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Cobalt Choline Citrate Complex, Salt, Copper Choline Citrate Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Chloride, Attapulgite Clay, Organic Fenugreek, Organic Grape Seed Extract, Organic Lecithin, Enzyme Product, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Citric Acid, Calcium Hydroxide, Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate, Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate, Manganese Sulfate, Organic Garlic, Diatomaceous Earth, Silicon Dioxide, Organic Dried Whole Milk, Organic Sugar, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Activa Natural Source Mg, Fe, K, Organic Potato Starch, Organic Dry Whole Egg, Organic Tomato Powder, Organic Sources of (Orange Peel Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Dandelion Root, Dandelion, Cloves, Sage, Peppermint, Fennel, Hops, Parsley, Thyme, Lemon Grass, Elder Flowers, Chamomile Flowers, Licorice, Basil, and Ginger), Fumaric Acid, Organic Oat Groats, Yucca Schidigera Whole Plant Product, Organic Water Extracts, Organic Gelatin, Iron Polysaccharide, Copper Polysaccharide, Magnesium Polysaccharide, Manganese Polysaccharide, Zinc Polysaccharide, Zinc Sulfate, Pectin, Granite Dust, Perfect Food Berry, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sulfur, Organic Rice Protein, Copper Sulfate, Yeast, Cobalt Carbonate."  http://www.groworganic.com/ds-org-fish-food-pellets-10-lb-aquaponic...

Then I thought, HOW ORGANIC CAN THEY GET.

One thing I do prior to feeding any purchased feed is to throw it in deep freeze a day, then get it back to air temperature before feeding it.. And when I find the size of pellet to large, I cut it in two and never crumble it as I think any tiny particles get into the fishes gills. I also use a dab of home grown aloe vera gel on the feed both old and new to help the fish id it as normal, and I think it helps them maintain good skin health. Not sure if it works but they don't complain much. My fish do like to nibble leafy veggies. I keep all acidic fruity veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, and apples etc. from them and clean up anything they neglect for more than a few minute. I raise Trout but don't think Tilapia can be much different regarding nibbling snacks.

Thank you Glenn, It's been a big worry since I have had no fish problems previousley...I was diligent in fishless cycling and fish purchase so this is a setback...Will keep your suggestions in mind!  sherrie

I use this fish food, and it's never been the cause of any fish deaths. Basically the same as any other organic feed I've seen. It's possible switching the feeds stressed your fish out a little, but there are probably other issues. Have you made any pH adjustments lately or could there be temperature swings?

If your fish aren't happy with the feed, you can try skipping a few meals to make them a little more grateful :)

Glenn said:

Hi Sherrie,

It's difficult to say what the cause of death is with any certainty. Have you observed any eye or skin lesions or other signs of illness? I think you're probably right to suspect any recent changes to what had been a healthy routine feed, etc. And I recall seeing this site that sells "Ultimate ORGANIC Fish Food" and seeing their list of ingredients.

 "Ingredients: Organic Wheat Middlings, Organic Rice Bran, Organic Canola Meal, Organic Corn, Organic Linseed Meal, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Reed Sedge Peat, Monosodium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Folic Acid, Niacin, Choline Chloride, Biotin, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Calcium Pantothenate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Beta Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Ascorbic Acid, Yeast Culture, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ferric Choline Citrate Complex, Organic Dried Kelp, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Cobalt Choline Citrate Complex, Salt, Copper Choline Citrate Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Chloride, Attapulgite Clay, Organic Fenugreek, Organic Grape Seed Extract, Organic Lecithin, Enzyme Product, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Citric Acid, Calcium Hydroxide, Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate, Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate, Manganese Sulfate, Organic Garlic, Diatomaceous Earth, Silicon Dioxide, Organic Dried Whole Milk, Organic Sugar, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Activa Natural Source Mg, Fe, K, Organic Potato Starch, Organic Dry Whole Egg, Organic Tomato Powder, Organic Sources of (Orange Peel Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Dandelion Root, Dandelion, Cloves, Sage, Peppermint, Fennel, Hops, Parsley, Thyme, Lemon Grass, Elder Flowers, Chamomile Flowers, Licorice, Basil, and Ginger), Fumaric Acid, Organic Oat Groats, Yucca Schidigera Whole Plant Product, Organic Water Extracts, Organic Gelatin, Iron Polysaccharide, Copper Polysaccharide, Magnesium Polysaccharide, Manganese Polysaccharide, Zinc Polysaccharide, Zinc Sulfate, Pectin, Granite Dust, Perfect Food Berry, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sulfur, Organic Rice Protein, Copper Sulfate, Yeast, Cobalt Carbonate."  http://www.groworganic.com/ds-org-fish-food-pellets-10-lb-aquaponic...

Then I thought, HOW ORGANIC CAN THEY GET.

One thing I do prior to feeding any purchased feed is to throw it in deep freeze a day, then get it back to air temperature before feeding it.. And when I find the size of pellet to large, I cut it in two and never crumble it as I think any tiny particles get into the fishes gills. I also use a dab of home grown aloe vera gel on the feed both old and new to help the fish id it as normal, and I think it helps them maintain good skin health. Not sure if it works but they don't complain much. My fish do like to nibble leafy veggies. I keep all acidic fruity veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, and apples etc. from them and clean up anything they neglect for more than a few minute. I raise Trout but don't think Tilapia can be much different regarding nibbling snacks.

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