Does anyone know of specific plant(s) types that can be fed to tilapia & Koi?

[Growzay]

I'm refering to veggie (leaf scraps) from the garden beds- as a supplement to there regular diet.  

Are there any types of plants that I should stay away from- for one reason or another? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Growzay

[David Waite]

Hey coast dwellers. I feed my koi all my lettuce scraps from trimming, as well as swiss chard, collard greens and cabbage leaves. They love them and tear them up. I feed the whole leaf. I feed twice a day and one of the feedings is all plant material. The first feeding is purina. If I could get damn spinach to grow I would feed it too. Have fun with it. I havent fed tomato trimmings but they would probably work as well.

[TCLynx]

Plants that I know people have fed to Tilapia

Duckweed

Zucchini

sweet potato leaves

lettuce leaves

Moringa leaves

 

Most leaves and things you later need to remove the hard portions that the fish don't eat like the zucchini skins, sweet potato vines, lettuce veins, and moringa stems.

 

I'm not yet sure what I would strongly recommend you avoid feeding them but tomato and potato leaves are probably on the avoid list.

[Growzay]

Thanks David & TCLynx! My Tilapia fingerlings don't seem to be as interested or able to eat the scraps as do the Koi- I'll experiment around with the different types you mentioned, the softer of them being lettuce - I have a few. Ciao! 
TCLynx said:

Plants that I know people have fed to Tilapia

Duckweed

Zucchini

sweet potato leaves

lettuce leaves

Moringa leaves

 

Most leaves and things you later need to remove the hard portions that the fish don't eat like the zucchini skins, sweet potato vines, lettuce veins, and moringa stems.

 

I'm not yet sure what I would strongly recommend you avoid feeding them but tomato and potato leaves are probably on the avoid list.

[Carey Ma]

I feed mine everything I grow and eat with no apparent problems plus use different grubs/insects/ larva to boost protein levels. I add algae, duckweed and assortment of greens to boost Omega3 and now started to use hemp seeds and assorted sprouts in my mix to boost immunity.

My ingredients are spun and freeze dried then powderised to concentrate the natural goodness. I'll have all this documented with pictures to your hearts desire this time next year. Till then I can only relay what I have tried.
PS I don't know if it means anything but I shy away from acidic foods like tomatoes and others like pineapple, (unless ripe and dried; in fear it might upset the worms).
But then again, I am experimenting with using ALL kitchen waste to hydro-organic compost to provide nutrients and hope the biology balances itself out.

[Gina Cavaliero]

Interestingly our Tilapia have shown little to no interest in lettuce, moringa or the alfalfa I tried the other day.  I wonder however, how much of that is behavioral.  Any thoughts there?  It is an older population that has always been on a commercial pelleted feed.  I wonder if they are started out from fry on alternatives that they will be more receptive.

[Two Jay]

Carey, how do you freeze dry something like greens?  Is it faster or better than a low heat dehydrator?

 

[Carey Ma]

@ Gina: Can you eat an ethnic food you did not grow up with every day? Got any fries to experiment on? I bet they'll love fresh food, unfortunately, I don't have that option anymore. If we want to feed the masses we got to do it quickly and efficiently and that means automated pellet feeding. I love automation and hope, one day to instigate an automated feed making system where daily factors are considered as well as the age and function and color/taste coordinated...I know always dreaming...ah well I'm too old to change now.....hmmm, wait, that seems a bit too sterile. I do enjoy feeding as much as i do watering...the attention factor. What do you all think?

 

As for pellet feed, I use chicken grease as my attractant but I don't think it really matters with talapia since once their feeding habit is triggered I believe they try to eat anything they are raised with. Another experiment we could do is place some fish from pellet raised diet into a tank raised on raw foods and see how long it takes them to adapt.

[Growzay]

Good Question Two Jay - I was about to ask myself- Carey, would you like to elaborate? Or do we have to wait till this time next year- :))
Two Jay said:

Carey, how do you freeze dry something like greens?  Is it faster or better than a low heat dehydrator?

 

[Lonny Harper]

Carey, what kind of fish do you have.  I've heard a heard from a few people recently that their fish aren't interested in grubbs.  I hope mine will be since I just invested in a biopod.

Carey Ma said:

I feed mine everything I grow and eat with no apparent problems plus use different grubs/insects/ larva to boost protein levels. I add algae, duckweed and assortment of greens to boost Omega3 and now started to use hemp seeds and assorted sprouts in my mix to boost immunity.

My ingredients are spun and freeze dried then powderised to concentrate the natural goodness. I'll have all this documented with pictures to your hearts desire this time next year. Till then I can only relay what I have tried.
PS I don't know if it means anything but I shy away from acidic foods like tomatoes and others like pineapple, (unless ripe and dried; in fear it might upset the worms).
But then again, I am experimenting with using ALL kitchen waste to hydro-organic compost to provide nutrients and hope the biology balances itself out.

[Jon Parr]

My tilapia seem to eat everything I feed them, but it takes some time for them to sample something they aren't used to. As far as tomato leaves, I have only thrown them in the tank once, and three red-claws died while eating it, literally locked in a death-embrace to the tomato leaves. The tilapia in the same tank were unaffected, but also I did not observe them partaking of it either. 

[Carey Ma]

@ Two Jay: The difference is in your purpose. Neither method is superior, just different. To me, freeze dying differs in that everything (nutrients) is captured in an instant. Then almost every molecule of water is removed without going through the liquid state so no chance of oxidation, and to reconstitute, simply add water. Now mind you, what comes out will look nothing like a slice of apple or whatever you started with but its all in there. I always enjoy the difference in texture of low heat dehydration for personal consumption. The reconstituted pastes remind me of some futuristic tragedy that I want no part of but since neither my chickens nor fish look worse for the wear and in fact look quite pleasant, I think its OK for them. 

 

As for how to do it. Well, get a vacuum pump (doesn't need to be strong) and attach it to a big ol chest freezer. Make rubber coated metal or wood racks and fasten appropriate sized nylon mesh as the screen, giving each layer half an inch space in between. Place your thinly sliced greens on the mesh and leave over night. Or you could liquefy then spread tin on trays. Turn on the vac pump to get a good seal at say -10 psi and turn off. If there is not a bad leak, it should stay till morning. Open freezer by letting air in (valve) and remove content. Toss in food processor and you have powdered whatever. The remaining powder is concentrated good stuff.

 

@ Lonny: Personally own or posses?...none this year. Both my tank and pond are empty. I'm working with separate aquaculture fisheries/ fish pond owners, experimenting with making feeds for tilapia, sturgeon and several types of carp while demonstrating the wonderful symbiosis of hydroponics all at my own risk and expense.  If I do good I get 35% of the fish and all the veggies I grow and the following year he/ they are suppose to pay for the labor cost to make feed, and finally becoming 60/40 partners on the profit side.

I believe it is the oil/ wax glands on some insects that the fish don't like. I also believe this oil can be removed or masked by other fragrances/ flavor in reconstituted pellets. 

 

@Everyone: I don't mean to be a snoot about it but I will show what I can, when I can, if I can. Unlike most of you, sustainability is what I make my living and betting my future on. I am under contract to investigate so my two cents is just that. Free opinion on what I do or claim to have done as a simple comment. These are not advice or consultations, just friendly banter to discuss better possible options.

Results will very no matter what we think is law. Remember, not so long ago the law was that the earth is the center and it is flat. All I can do here is open your imagination to what might be applicable in your environment. Most of you wont be able to reach beyond supplementing sustainable efforts towards an honorable hobby, which is valiant in of itself let alone spend the time, energy and effort required in the many fields of sustainable living so just enjoy the fanatical blatherings of of an old lion. On this site, I don't claim to be a scientist, just an expert at showing people other ways of doing things (and the possible consequences). I'm just a wannabe farmer with a huge chip on his shoulder against factory farming. Nottin more to it!

Today I am piss poor. I'm talkin Johnny Apple seed poor! But, I am confident that I am on the verge of breaking grounds on a food empire that will someday compete with and defeat one after another, the likes of DuPont Co., Monsanto Co., Dow Chemical Co and the likes for they will be obsolete.

 

[David Waite]

So Carey are you using dry Ice in the cooler or what to freeze the contents which are under a constant suction.

 

Growzay said:

Good Question Two Jay - I was about to ask myself- Carey, would you like to elaborate? Or do we have to wait till this time next year-)
Two Jay said:

Carey, how do you freeze dry something like greens?  Is it faster or better than a low heat dehydrator?