Choosing the best fish species for your system and how to properly maintain them.
The idea of aquaponics care for fish seems complex and complicated to many, to say the least. But once you get the hang of it, it’s any easy breeze. An extreme thought suggests that it’s even easier to take care of fish in an aquaponics system, than it is in a normal aquarium. And that’s because once the system is cycled, you have little concerns about filtering. Your biggest worry, they say, should be whether the fish are fed and the plants are happy. Of course, telling whether a plant is thriving is hardly rocket science, despite the science involved in aquaponics fishing.
The best fish types you need are ones that have high tolerability to water conditions and temperature, low demand on food, and are edible( if u plan on taking full advantage of your farm). In aquaponics you can grow any fresh water fish that appeals to you. Considerations are that you want to be sure the environment your aquaponics fish are happiest in is one that your aquaponics system can naturally provide.Trout, for example, like water temperatures below 60 degrees. Can your environment consistently provide this? Also be sure that if you are mixing fish species that they have similar living requirements. Do they all prefer the same water temperature, eat the same food, and have the same oxygen requirements? Don’t mix carnivorous fish with herbivores, or you will find that you are just providing an expensive meal for your carnivores. We have found that tilapia, other cichlids such as oscars, pacu, goldfish, and koi all co-exist well together in an aquaponics system.
In aquaponics science, the fish is the key in the natural cycle, and therefore must receive primary care in order for the other components: i.e. the plants and bacteria, to thrive. And because fish can easily adjust their metabolism according to their feeding schedule, they can be fed as often as possible, depending on how fast you want the fish to grow. It is critical though to monitor your fish during feeding. In the event that the fish is not feeding well, immediate intervention measures must be put in place. That may prove difficult with automated feeders, as you may not be able to pick a problem within a reasonable time. Fish may die in the tank because of various reasons, including lack of oxygen, stress and disease.
In the event that something in the aquaponic system may have caused distress to the fish and some have died, the first step to take is to extract the dead fish, place those still alive in a medication tank, check the water balance, correct the error in the water balance and then mix tank water, a little at a time, until satisfied.
There are various fish feed on the market, both omnivorous and carnivorous. Commercially prepared fish is high in protein, fats, minerals and carbohydrates. Home grown fish feed is also recommended, coming as it does with the benefits of saving on costs and being environmentally friendly. These can be anything from duckweeds to worms. Aquaponics care for fish is really about vigilance, paying attention to detail and patience, but it’s far from complex.
Consider this pointers when choosing the fish .
*be able to reproduce in captivity
*be readily available as eggs, fingerlings and adults
*produce lots of eggs
*be resistant to disease and harsh water environments
*have a high market demand
*have a long shelf life
*have good appearance and colour, and good eating qualities
*PH of plants close to that requirement of fish