Five Essential Feeding Practices for Productive Fish Farming

Feeding is one of the most critical activities in fish farming. It directly affects fish growth, survival rate, water quality, and overall profitability. Many fish farmers lose money due to poor feeding practices, overfeeding, and a lack of understanding of fish feeding behaviour.

Feed alone accounts for up to 60–70 per cent of total production cost in aquaculture. This means any waste or inefficiency in feeding translates to financial loss and environmental problems in the pond.

In this article, we explain some golden rules of fish feeding, drawing from standard aquaculture best practices and practical farm management experience based on information from the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) Extension Bulletin. To help farmers improve productivity and reduce avoidable losses. 

1. Feed Fish at the Same Time and Place Daily

Fish can be conditioned to feeding routines. When feeding is done consistently at the same time and location, it helps them anticipate feeding, reducing chaos in the water.  It also allows fish to respond better and improve feed utilisation.

Why This Matters

1. Fish learn to gather at feeding points, reducing feed waste.

2. Consistency reduces stress and improves feeding response.

3. Farmers can easily monitor fish health and appetite.

Recommended Practice

A. Feed twice daily, 50% of the daily ration in the morning before sunrise and another 50% in the evening before sunset.

B. Avoid feeding during extreme temperatures, such as very hot afternoons and heavy rainfall, or in poor water conditions.

C. Observing fish during feeding helps farmers detect early signs of disease or stress.

2. Never Overfeed Fish

Overfeeding is one of the biggest causes of poor water quality and fish mortality.

Fish should only be given the quantity of feed they can consume within 10 minutes. Any feed left after this period becomes waste, and these remnants can cause more harm than good to the fish.

Dangers of Overfeeding include

1. Water pollution from decomposing feed

2. Low dissolved oxygen, especially at night

3. Ammonia buildup, which is toxic to fish

4. Increased production cost

5. Slow growth and higher mortality

When dissolved oxygen becomes low, fish may be seen gasping for air at the water surface, especially in the early morning hours. If not corrected, this can lead to mass fish death.

What Farmers Should Do

A. Stop feeding temporarily when water quality is poor

B. Improve aeration or change water

C. Resume feeding only when fish behaviour normalises

3. Know the Signs of Overfeeding

Farmers should constantly observe their ponds for early warning signs of overfeeding. No matter the size of the pond, farmers shouldn’t stop at just feeding; there is a need for monitoring to take note of indicators of overfeeding or other issues in the fish.

Common Indicators

1. Uneaten Feed: If feed remains visible after 10 minutes or settles at the pond bottom, feeding quantity is excessive.

2. Foul Smell from Pond Bottom: Bad odour when sediments are disturbed indicates waste accumulation below the surface and poor water quality in the pond.

3. Excessive Green Water (Phytoplankton Bloom): If pond water becomes too green and visibility is less than 25 cm, nutrient overload is likely, and this can cause oxygen crashes.

All these signs should prompt immediate adjustment in feeding practices whenever noticed.

4. Do Not Feed Fish on Harvest Day

Whenever it is time to harvest the fish in a pond, the best practice is to feed the fish 24–48 hours before harvest.

Benefits

1. Allows fish to empty their intestines

2. Improves survival during handling and transport

3. Reduces contamination

4. Improves fish quality

5. Saves feed cost

This practice is especially important for farmers selling live fish.

5. Reduce Feeding During Cold Weather

Fish are cold-blooded animals. Their feeding activity and metabolism slow down when the water temperature drops. Most tropical fish species reduce feeding when the temperature falls below 20°C.

Recommended Adjustment

1. Reduce feed quantity by at least 50 per cent

2. Use sinking pellets when fish refuse floating feed

3. Avoid continuous feeding when fish show low activity

Feeding normally during cold periods leads to waste, pollution, and financial loss.

Additional Best Practices for Efficient Fish Feeding

A. Use Quality Feed

• Choose nutritionally balanced commercial feed

• Match protein content to the fish growth stage

• Avoid expired or poorly stored feed

B. Match Pellet Size to Fish Size

Pellets that are too large or too small reduce feed intake and increase waste.

1. C. Adjust Feeding as Fish Grow

• Recalculate feeding rates every 2–3 weeks based on:

• Average fish weight

• Stocking density

• Water quality

D. Monitor Water Quality Regularly

While Feeding is key to successful fish culturing, good feeding cannot compensate for poor water conditions, so monitoring water quality is equally important. The key parameters to check include:

• Dissolved oxygen

• Temperature

• Water colour

• Smell

Conclusion

Successful fish farming is not about feeding more but feeding wisely. This will not only help ensure the right growth and survival rate of fishes but also contribute to getting a favourable operational cost.

Following proper feeding rules helps farmers reduce feed waste and maintain good water quality, which in turn improves fish growth and lowers their mortality.

By adopting disciplined feeding practices, Nigerian fish farmers can significantly improve productivity and avoid losses that often result from poor feeding management.