Feed - Food, Feeding
Is it time to add algae to your koi diets? Here is a research article on this subject.
The research around fish and the production of fish for consumption is growing rapidly. Since the common carp is a major source of food for human in many parts of the world there are many studies becoming available on how those in aquaculture can become more successful and productive. In this study Quercetin, a plant pigment (flavonoid) and supplement that is found in many plants and foods, such as red wine, onions, green tea, apples, and berries is tested for its use supporting carp as they grow.
For those who love the science of koi feed, this article is for you!
So, what do carp do in the Winter? These scientist in Berlin, Germany had some fun by placing 37 tagged and traceable carp in a very cold (7°C, 44.6°F) natural lake during the winter to see what these fish would do. You will really enjoy this short YouTube.
The aqua feed industry is ever changing and as koi hobbyists we are affected, mostly by the changes in the ingredients in koi feed, we often try to follow the trends. Here is a voice in the aquaculture industry speaking out for transparency in the feed manufacturing sector for those who raise fish for a living. Koi Organization International does not take a position on this or other policies of the aquaculture industry, but it is fair to say, that we like other consumers would benefit from clearly understanding the ingredients in our feed that we give our koi.
This short article and research shows how the food chain incorporates nanoplastics to the fish we eat and the fish we admire. This short story tells the troubling proof about the food chain bringing unwanted plastic to our food.
A very good article written by Valentin Thepo’t, a recent PhD student in Aquaculture who looks to identify the potential of aquafeeds and the field's sustainability. This will of course have a direct impact on the feed we serve our koi in the future.
"The aquaculture industry must continue in its quest to become more sustainable, with greater use of seaweeds in aquafeeds and production of herbivorous fish among two of the most promising avenues to achieve this."
This is a very interesting article about the quality of oil used in fish feed. The authors state "We investigated how diet composition influences the retention and subsequently FA composition of polar and neutral lipids in several tissues of farm-raised common carp; i.e., dorsal muscle, ventral muscle, liver, heart, kidney, eyes, intestine and adipose tissue." In other words, what did the different oils do to the fish? Since carp are consumed in many parts of the world, did those ingredients change the fish. A fascinating study.
Abstract
In the aquaculture industry, there is the never-ending quest for replacement ingredients for fish feed. In this study they are looking Spirulina as a replacement for fishmeal, which is more expensive. What did the study find out: yes that adding Spirulina does help with the grow out of young fish. But the weakness of the study is that the study is only a 12 week study.
This is a simple overview of fish nutrition that gives the basics of what should be in fish feed.
"Fish need energy to maintain basic metabolic activities and to support growth, reproduction, activity, and health. Proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids (the macronutrients) provide this energy and also some essential nutrients. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) do not contain calories but are also required for good performance."
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