Ses like for my needs its theraA amd algaemax. I'll just deal with the mess with the spirulina flakes. They dont get it often. Wish there was a product that wss mainly spirulina minus all the garbage ingredients just to use once or twice a week
Spirulina
- Thread starter jaws7777
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Frank, if you are feeding NLS Algaemax; that consists of; Chlorella, Ulva Seaweed, Red Seaweed, Kelp, Spirulina, Wakame Seaweed, Whole Antarctic Krill, Whole Fish, Eucheuma cottonii, Spinosum Seaweed, Chondrus crispus, Whole Wheat Flour, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Alfalfa, Astaxanthin, Capsanthin, Zeaxanthin, and various vitamins & trace minerals
..... why do you feel that your fish require even MORE aquatic plant matter in their diet? This is already a larger variety than any fish would experience in the wild. lol
..... why do you feel that your fish require even MORE aquatic plant matter in their diet? This is already a larger variety than any fish would experience in the wild. lol
The variety of Green(s) is indeed phenomenal and I can't suggest any plant based food to purchase that will out perform NLS Algaemax.
Part of the "challenge" of fish keepers using NLS products exclusively is IMO solely due to it's price being extremely expensive.
I can tell you for certain that the results of the coloration that I have gotten from both my Oreochromis Aura and O. Mozambique (Hawaiian gold strain) mated pair(s) that I have fed exclusively NLS product blow the coloration of these two species stock primarily being raised for personal consumption completely out of the water.
I have not at this point "eaten" any of the "pairs" I am using for breeding to make any claim to the taste of the meat however.
What I can say is that these exclusive NLS fed pair(s) are considerably WAYY smaller than ANY level of "supplemental green" fed stock!
I do get 100's of pounds of Duckweed on my spring fed farm pond compliments of nature for free.
False "Tilapia" eat it like it was pure gold, and get immense very quickly on it.
In all honesty, I have not been able to get the indoor heated tank breeding stock to "over eat" in the manor that I get from my outdoor pond setups sporting limitless duckweed required for fry to plate growth withing the 7-8 month season.
Having a never ending free source of any nutrient is always a bonus when it comes to quick growth.
Um..... uhhh. Neil ya k ow what i really dont know, no good answers lol. Nls will always be my staple. Just trying to needlessly tinker i guess. Trying to just provide the right amount of variety.
Another member i think it was duanes mentioned duck weed.... (i think)
Any suggestion on growing it in doors to use as a feed (not staple just a couple of times a week)
I'm not attempting to convince anyone that they should feed anything as a staple, or not, simply that most fish in the wild wouldn't be eating that wide of a variety of plant matter. I mean you can go to the health food store and buy expensive spirulina tablets, crush them up into bits and feed them to your fish, if you feel that will give them a nutritional boost. I wouldn't, but one certainly can if they feel the need. lol
As far as duckweed, unless they are eating TONS of it, it is not going to give them any kind of nutritional boost. Duckweed mostly consist of water.
From the University of Mississippi.......
http://msucares.com/aquaculture/tilapia/food.html
"Tilapia are plant eaters. They have specialized adaptions to filter algae from the water and especially algae attached to surfaces. Some tilapia species will consume aquatic plants such as duckweed. However, the nutritional benefit from duckweed is marginal. Most aquatic plants contain 95 percent water and only a relatively small fraction of the dry matter is protein. Thus, plants such as duckweed or water meal can be seen as "roughage" with limited potential as a food source of tilapia."
From the following site;
http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/Fish.htm
"Gaigher, et al. (1984) compared the growth of hybrid tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus X O. aureus) on commercial pellets vs. duckweed. The fish were cultured at high densities in an experimental recirculating unit for 89 days with duckweed (Lemna gibba) or a combination of duckweed and commercial pellets. They conclude that a combination of pellets and Lemna gave the best performance:
When fed on duckweed alone, intake rate was low, feed conversion ratio good (1:1) and relative growth rate poor (0.67% of bodyweight daily). Sixty-five percent of the duckweed consumed was assimilated and 26% converted to fish. When the fish were fed on pellets in addition to duckweed the rate of duckweed consumption decreased and growth rate of the fish doubled with feed conversion ratios between 1.2 and 1.8. Seventy percent of the mixed diet was assimilated but only 21% converted. Fish grown on the mixed diet performed similarly to fish grown on pellets but had a better feed conversion ratio. "
Please keep in mind that when studies such as the one above use the term "pellets", they are typically referring to commercial farm feed, made up from soybeans, wheat, corn, etc. Certainly nothing like some of the food being used by Frank and others. So yes, by adding some aquatic plant matter to the farm feed diet the FCR may have increased, but try doing same with a high quality pellet food and the results won't stack up the same.
A pond filled with duckweed is going to provide gains not typically seen in an aquarium where it is offered as a supplement. In fact, you couldn't pay me to add that aquatic weed to any of my tanks. Do so at your own risk. lol
As far as duckweed, unless they are eating TONS of it, it is not going to give them any kind of nutritional boost. Duckweed mostly consist of water.
From the University of Mississippi.......
http://msucares.com/aquaculture/tilapia/food.html
"Tilapia are plant eaters. They have specialized adaptions to filter algae from the water and especially algae attached to surfaces. Some tilapia species will consume aquatic plants such as duckweed. However, the nutritional benefit from duckweed is marginal. Most aquatic plants contain 95 percent water and only a relatively small fraction of the dry matter is protein. Thus, plants such as duckweed or water meal can be seen as "roughage" with limited potential as a food source of tilapia."
From the following site;
http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/Fish.htm
"Gaigher, et al. (1984) compared the growth of hybrid tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus X O. aureus) on commercial pellets vs. duckweed. The fish were cultured at high densities in an experimental recirculating unit for 89 days with duckweed (Lemna gibba) or a combination of duckweed and commercial pellets. They conclude that a combination of pellets and Lemna gave the best performance:
When fed on duckweed alone, intake rate was low, feed conversion ratio good (1:1) and relative growth rate poor (0.67% of bodyweight daily). Sixty-five percent of the duckweed consumed was assimilated and 26% converted to fish. When the fish were fed on pellets in addition to duckweed the rate of duckweed consumption decreased and growth rate of the fish doubled with feed conversion ratios between 1.2 and 1.8. Seventy percent of the mixed diet was assimilated but only 21% converted. Fish grown on the mixed diet performed similarly to fish grown on pellets but had a better feed conversion ratio. "
Please keep in mind that when studies such as the one above use the term "pellets", they are typically referring to commercial farm feed, made up from soybeans, wheat, corn, etc. Certainly nothing like some of the food being used by Frank and others. So yes, by adding some aquatic plant matter to the farm feed diet the FCR may have increased, but try doing same with a high quality pellet food and the results won't stack up the same.
A pond filled with duckweed is going to provide gains not typically seen in an aquarium where it is offered as a supplement. In fact, you couldn't pay me to add that aquatic weed to any of my tanks. Do so at your own risk. lol
Thanks for posting neil...
Got a question though (trying to learn something not debating the findings)
Wouldnt adding duck weed at the very least be a slight benefit to the existing diet ? Or would it just be negligible based on what most of us are feeding.
Asking because of the second link stating that the combo of both duck weeds and pellets generated the best growth. Also with a protien content of 15 to 45 % woulnt that be a decent choice as a "treat"
Found it interesting that chanel cats were fed duck weed.
Shouldention that my fish intended to eat it would he viejas and pearsei
Got a question though (trying to learn something not debating the findings)
Wouldnt adding duck weed at the very least be a slight benefit to the existing diet ? Or would it just be negligible based on what most of us are feeding.
Asking because of the second link stating that the combo of both duck weeds and pellets generated the best growth. Also with a protien content of 15 to 45 % woulnt that be a decent choice as a "treat"
Found it interesting that chanel cats were fed duck weed.
Shouldention that my fish intended to eat it would he viejas and pearsei
I should add that my main objective isnt growth but over health and longevity for the fish. Growth with come when it comes
When I think of grazing vegetarians, be they bocourti and pearsei of Cental America, Etroplus suratensus of Asia, the algae scrapers of the African rift, or bison of the plains, I consider that they are like any cattle, constantly eating, and have evolved to live that way. And probably because of their diets low nutrient value, is one of the reasons for the constant eating.
While carnivores such as dovii get away with every other day, or every 3 day feedings of high quality food, the above vegetarians have evolved to have a constant supply of this marginal food to be running thru their gut. Not adhering to this kind of regime, may be "one" of the reasons so many Tropheus keepers ended up with bloating fish.
And I agree with RD, duckweed is a scourge that clogs filters, and gets into everything, then won't ever go away, but for me, it was a great source of constant, day long fodder for these species, and I don't find its low nutrient value to be a problem for these above grazers. I actually had to grow more outside in ponds, because after being dropped in, in the morning, by the next day, it would be gone.
99% of the day they eat fluff, and then a meal of 2 of high nutrient Algaemax, hair algae, or dandelion leaves when I did feed worked well for me.
While carnivores such as dovii get away with every other day, or every 3 day feedings of high quality food, the above vegetarians have evolved to have a constant supply of this marginal food to be running thru their gut. Not adhering to this kind of regime, may be "one" of the reasons so many Tropheus keepers ended up with bloating fish.
And I agree with RD, duckweed is a scourge that clogs filters, and gets into everything, then won't ever go away, but for me, it was a great source of constant, day long fodder for these species, and I don't find its low nutrient value to be a problem for these above grazers. I actually had to grow more outside in ponds, because after being dropped in, in the morning, by the next day, it would be gone.
99% of the day they eat fluff, and then a meal of 2 of high nutrient Algaemax, hair algae, or dandelion leaves when I did feed worked well for me.
Mhhh yeah looks like it would be more of a mess fore than anything else.
learned something new today though
learned something new today though
