What Fish Food Is Best for Ponds?
The addition of extra feed to water bodies allows you to get much more fish than when it is grown on a natural food base. For correct and effective feeding, it is necessary to know the physiology and nutritional requirements of certain fish species. In this article, you will find useful recommendations about the selection of food and feeding fish in the pond.
What basics ingredients should fish food for pond have?
Proteins. They play a key role in metabolism. The protein content in the diet should be 30-60% of the total dry matter. Protein food is especially necessary for young animals during the period of active growth. The value of protein is that such food contains essential amino acids, the absence of which will lead to reduced growth and disease.
Fats. This is the main source of energy. The lack of fatty acids leads to a decrease in growth rates, causes physiological disorders, and reduces the content of protein and fat in the body. As in the case of protein, the need for fat varies depending on the type of pet (for example, for carp, the fat rate is 1%, and for eel and trout – no more than 0.5%).
Carbohydrates. Feeds with a fiber content (the main source of carbohydrates) of no more than 25% serve as a complete source of energy. The need for carbohydrates in different breeds is different. For example, in carp and eel, a high fiber content slows down growth and increases the fat content of meat. The content of carbohydrates in the feed should differ not only by variety but also by age.
Minerals. For the normal development of the structural parts of the body, the diet must necessarily contain minerals. Some of them are absorbed from the water. The rest must be introduced artificially, choosing the right elements of the diet. In most cases, a lack of minerals only causes growth retardation, but with a severe deficiency, individuals have a reduced appetite, and sometimes the death of young animals may begin.
Vitamins. They play a key role in the normal course of chemical reactions. Each vitamin is responsible for certain processes in the body. So, vitamin A regulates metabolism, D is responsible for the formation of bones, and E contributes to the formation of caviar. But the most important is vitamin B, which is responsible for the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Its deficiency is noticeable after 20 days, after which it is necessary to start introducing special feeds into the reservoir.
Features of feeding fish in ponds
When raising fish in a pond, the requirements for artificial feed are less stringent, since natural ponds contain natural feed that only needs to be supplemented. As a rule, the feed is applied in the form of a pasty mass, granules, or briquettes. Preference should be given to granulated feed mixtures or briquettes, as they have high moisture resistance, while the pasty mass loses half of its nutritional properties in an hour.
Feed is better to make at the same time and in a certain place of the reservoir. In this case, the individuals will develop a conditioned reflex and the consumption of feed will be more economically profitable due to the high palatability.
Feeding depends on many factors, like water temperatures, age, and if the fish is getting enough portions.
It is better to buy compound feed in specialized stores, as industrial-made nutrient mixtures are balanced and adapted for a particular species. To find it you just need to visit the Pondkeeper website and get it.
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