What Fish Are Best for Aquaponics?
Setting up an Aquapo…
Setting up an Aquaponics system is great fun. Getting the right fish to put in is one of the crucial step. To know what species of fish to keep in your pond, you should first ask what your intentions of keeping fish are. If you are raising fish to be eaten, you may choose a different species than if you are simply them for feeding your plants.
What fish are best for Aquaponics? You have many choices and you may do well with one of the following:
Tilapia
They live in shallow streams, river, ponds and lakes. Their primary source of food is algae or any other plant based food. They grow very fast and reproduce a lot. They are may be kept for food as they are a very rich protein source. They are very popular with commercial fisheries and artisanal. Tilapia requires warm water and is therefore not suitable for areas with freezing conditions.
Jade Perch
This is an Australian native fish that has the highest levels of omega three oils of all the other fish in the world. The omega three oil contents are very high a factor that is making growers try breeding the oil out of them after finding out that people do not like such high amounts. This species is very well suited for Aquaponics because it grows very fast and produce many eggs that hatch in large numbers during warmer periods. They are omnivorous and do well in warm water.
Trout
Trout is another good Aquaponics fish that does well in cold water only. It has a superb taste and is excellent for cold areas that experience winter for months. To grow well, this species needs pristine water conditions. Rearing this species means that one has to make a proper selection of the plants to grow in the grow bed because most of the aquatic plants prefer warmer water temperatures. They, however, grow very fast as they have a very high food conversion ratio and eat very well. They are carnivorous hence one need to feed them with commercial pellets. They can develop cannibalism tendencies where they eat their own or other fish species.
Barramundi
This species has some similarities with trout, but instead of requiring cold water as trout, they thrive well in warm water. They grow very fast and are good eating. They are carnivals and will cannibalize each other or other fish species. Larger fish have a tendency of eating the small ones. You will need to grade them depending on size to keep the little ones alive.
Goldfish
In situations where one does not have enough space for keeping fish for food, the goldfish fits in. Goldfish are cheap, easy, resilient and have the capability of bearing with fluctuating conditions. Their aesthetic value is also very high making them very ideal for your garden. They breed in a tank, but you will need to cover it first with plants.
Conclusion
Most of the fish that live in fresh water are edible and will supply you with vital proteins and vitamins. Whichever species you choose for your Aquaponics, you need to take good care of them. Observe them regularly and note any form of stress. If any dead fish is in the aqua pond, they must be removed immediately as they decompose very fast and can poison the water.
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