Aquaculture Feed Daily kg

Daily feed ration in fish farming (kg/day)

In commercial fish farming, feed eats up 60-70% of operational cost, so the daily ration has to be matched to biomass and life stage. The standard formula is kg/day = biomass_kg × feed_rate%, with the rate running 3-5% of biomass for grow-out fish (tilapia, tambaqui, pacu) and 5-8% for fingerlings and post-fingerlings. You split feeding into 2-4 meals a day, which keeps the water cleaner and digestion working better.

Pellet size goes from 1 mm for fingerlings up to 12 mm for finishing biomass, sized to match the fish's mouth gape. Extruded feed floats, so you can eyeball how much the fish are actually eating and adjust; pelleted feed sinks, costs less and shows up mostly in carp ponds. Among Brazilian manufacturers the big names are BRF, Guabi and Pirá (Acqua). Run the operation well and you'll land an FCR (Feed Conversion Ratio) of 1.4-1.8 kg of feed per kg of fish produced.

Applications

Planning daily feeding for a fish farm, placing monthly orders with the feed mill, watching FCR to catch water-quality or health trouble early, and working out cost per kg of fish to set a price. Tilapia farmers in Paraná and Mato Grosso lean on ration calculators to keep feeding in step with their biweekly biomass sampling.

FAQ

How much feed for 500 kg of biomass? At 4% (grow-out tilapia, 28°C), about 20 kg/day; at 6% (fingerlings), 30 kg/day. Cut it back in the cold months.

Does temperature change the rate? A lot. Below 22°C tilapia go off their feed fast, so drop the rate to 1-2% or stop feeding altogether.

Extruded or pelleted feed? For tilapia and tambaqui, extruded usually wins on digestibility and less waste; pelleted shows up mostly with carp and bottom feeders.