MAYILADUTHURAI: Experts from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Nagapattinam are promoting floating fish feed for aquatic species raised under aquaculture in the coastal delta region as they reason that it improves nutritional intake and digestion. E Hino Fernando, fisheries extension expert at KVK-Sikkal, said, “When fed in floatable form, the probability of consumption [by fishes] increases. The farmers will also be able to quantify the feed consumed as it floats on the surface. They can then increase or decrease the volume of feed accordingly."
According to the experts, a majority of farmers in the coastal delta region feed farm fish conventionally. While the growth of the fish cultured is majorly dependent on the feed provided, the groundnut oil cake mixed with rice bran used as feed sediments under water, becoming largely avoided by the aquatic organisms. This also affects water quality, the experts added. Against this backdrop, experts said the nutritional composition of floating fish feed is planned and prepared to suit the requirements of the fish being cultured.
The feed in floatable form comprises ingredients like groundnut, gingelly oil cake, rice bran, fish meal, fish oil, wheat meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, rapeseed meal, yeast powder, and rice straw powder. S Sathiyanathan, a fish farmer from Memathur in Sembanarkoil block of Mayiladuthurai district said, "I am willing to change to float feeding to improve the rate of growth of the fishes. I will be able to harvest my farm fish sooner than usual."