Under normal rearing conditions, catfish can obtain their feed from natural sources provided by nature. However, in intensive cultivation with high stocking densities and short cultivation times, factory feed is necessary to meet the nutritional needs of the catfish population.
The factory feed is formulated to provide a balance of energy from protein and fat.
Achieving an energy balance can be challenging when relying solely on natural feed. For instance, it is crucial to balance protein and energy intake as they directly impact fish growth rates. While some farmers opt to combine natural and factory feed, this approach can make it difficult to maintain nutritional adequacy and may result in imperfect catfish growth, such as large heads but small bodies, which is not desirable in the market.
Natural feed is the optimal choice for certain growth phases due to its unique nutrient composition. Factory feed cannot replace the nutrients found in natural feed. For instance, Daphnia sp., a type of zooplankton, is the most suitable natural food during the larval phase. Daphnia’s size matches the mouth opening of the larvae, and it has a high protein content of 42-54% with 6.5-8% fat.
Farmers have the option to cultivate various natural feeds, such as tubifex, lumbricus worms, hongkong worms, kroto, tetraselmis, chlorella, spirulina, artemia, infusoria, water fleas, and mosquito larvae. However, natural feed can be problematic due to issues with continuity and fluctuating production levels.
As a result, factory feed is often preferred due to its complete nutritional composition, ease of accessibility, practicality, and safety concerning disease. Research indicates that the use of factory feed can increase the biomass weight of fish up to four times. Although relatively expensive due to the high value of its main constituent ingredients, such as
fishmeal is the best source of protein for fish. Fishmeal contains many essential amino acids, including lysine and methionine, which play a crucial role in the growth and development of fish. Quality fishmeal typically contains 60-80% protein, with 80-95% being digestible by fish.
