Tilapia food

[Chris Smith]

In an attempt to become more sustainable, on my farm, I have started researching how to make my own fish food. I live in Hawaii and we are totally dependent on imported food for both humans and animals. I am looking for alternatives to Aquamax and the other available fish feeds. I grow mainly tilapia for my systems. I am interested in any recipes for fish food that anybody has. Does anybody make their own food?
I have many potential sources of  ingredients(for fish food) that are by-products of current aquaculture operations in my area. I would like to use their waste to make fish food for Hawaii. Any input will be help full.
Aloha
Chris
Coastview Aquaponics

[TCLynx]

I've seen people do something like this with just a light and a fan near by blowing so that anything flying under the light gets pushed down onto the surface of the water.

Or an even older version was to have the black light and reflective baffles so the bugs bump into the baffle and just fall down.

[David Hart]

Hi Chris, Here's a link to making home made fish food.

http://www.loaches.com/articles/home-cooking-your-own-frozen-fishfood

(Adam, over at Murray's site, posted this link a few days ago)

[Kate Mink]

Looks very nutritious but a LOT of work.


David Hart said:

Hi Chris, Here's a link to making home made fish food.

http://www.loaches.com/articles/home-cooking-your-own-frozen-fishfood

(Adam, over at Murray's site, posted this link a few days ago)

[Kate Mink]

1. Do people know whether tilapia like eating insects?
2. Ryan, do you know where would something like this be available on the internet?

thanks.



Ryan said:

They have this thing called a "bug slugger" that is basically a small light with a weed wacker cord above it. The light attracts the insects and the wacker cord knocks them down into the water. Pretty chep means of adding free insects to the diet.

[Ryan Chatterson]

Here is a link, never bought from them personally but this is what I was talking about.

http://www.memphisnet.net/product/2820/feeders_bug

[Chris Smith]

My tilapia will eat most anything that I throw into their tank including bugs and slugs. Whenever I have lettuce that bolts I feed it to the fish. I even fed them bananas to increase potassium in the system. The other day I dropped a 6" centipede into the tank and they attacked it!

Kate Mink said:

1. Do people know whether tilapia like eating insects?
2. Ryan, do you know where would something like this be available on the internet?

thanks.



Ryan said:

They have this thing called a "bug slugger" that is basically a small light with a weed wacker cord above it. The light attracts the insects and the wacker cord knocks them down into the water. Pretty chep means of adding free insects to the diet.

[David Hart]

Another bug light....less money then the one Ryan posted....

http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/1042/Bugslugger/bug%20lights/0

[Michelle Silva]

Hi Chris, any luck with this? I haven't been on the forums much.

With everything pretty much all set with my system, I'm ready to work towards my initial goal of getting off commercial fish feed for the tilapia (and goldfish). I am noticing the last tank that has the goldfish has what looks like spirulina or blue green algae, and those goldfish are looking pretty fat. They all look pregnant. Although, they have been getting the commercial feed too, if this is indeed what is growing on the sides of this one tank, I'm wondering if exposing the other tanks more to light regulary without getting too much algae, might be enough for a feed.

As one who believes humans don't need animal protein to be healthy, I don't believe our fish need to eat grains or other animals, especially commercially processed "food" to be healthy.

I have 7 new little moringa trees (they supposedly grow really fast!) and is an amazing "miracle" superfood! I am hoping they will just eat the little leaves. I have some BSF larvae that I froze too, but they gross me out and would be too much work to harvest regularly!

BTW, I loved the idea, but only let the fish eat the roots a couple of times, as I had a problem with the system clogging and didn't bother to figure a way to fix it! How do you avoid that problem?

Michelle

BLUE GREEN ALGAE


Blue
Green Algae is nature's most basic food. Existing at the beginning of the food
chain, it provides nutrition in its simplest form. Blue Green Algae has a
greater amount of protein than any other whole food. It provides the essential
nutrients for the health of the physical body, and the smooth operation of the
brain and nervous system. Blue Green Algae is a very rich chlorophyll source and
has been shown to enhance the health of the entire body, strengthen the immune
system, promote intestinal regularity and the healing of wounds, boosts
hemoglobin production and helps purify the blood. The trace minerals found in
blue green algae are Boron, Calcium, Chlorine, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper,
Fluorine, Geranium, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Maganese, Molybdenum, Nickel,
Phosphorus, Potassium, Silicon, Sodium, Tin, Titanium, Vanadium, and Zinc.

[TCLynx]

Just keep in mind that if you let lots of algae grow, you won't have much nutrients left for your plants if you are also not adding an outside source of nutrients to feed the fish or algae.  You will have to add something if you are not feeding the fish directly.

[Michelle Silva]

Thanks for the tip. I wasn't wanting too let too much grow, but kind of like what is on the walls of the last tank, because still want to see them.

TCLynx said:

Just keep in mind that if you let lots of algae grow, you won't have much nutrients left for your plants if you are also not adding an outside source of nutrients to feed the fish or algae.  You will have to add something if you are not feeding the fish directly.

[Michelle Silva]

hhmm, I see what your saying. The algae is feeding off the fish food too, but wouldn't the algae come anyway from the light exposure and would the fish waste feed it too?

TCLynx said:

Just keep in mind that if you let lots of algae grow, you won't have much nutrients left for your plants if you are also not adding an outside source of nutrients to feed the fish or algae.  You will have to add something if you are not feeding the fish directly.

[Ryan Chatterson]

What you can do is set up a seperate tank to grow the algae in. Take your waste fish poop that you collect in your filtration and toss in it an aerated tank full of water that is in direct sunlight (the more light the better).
In a few days you will notice a green tinit to the water, in a couple weeks the tank will be full of algae. Planktonic algae can be harvested using a low micron filter sock(5 microns will work) and just let the algae water slowly percolate through the sock until you have a large mass of algae. Then you can put it all in a bucket, let it settle, and dewater unitil you have a thick algae. From there, you can dry it out, mix it with other food etc.

You can also grow string algae in the same area. Throw a bunch of netting or ropes or any kind of easily movable structure into the algae tank while the algae is growing. planctonic algae wiull still grow in the water collumn but different species of hair algai will grow on the walls, bottom and and other material(ropes, etc) you stick in there. When you have a nice mass, pick up the rope/netting and gently place it in your fish culture tanks. Bam. Free fish food.