One of the first questions people often ask us is…
“What is the best fish for aquaponics?
Check out the video!
The fact of the matter is there is no one perfect fish out there for EVERY aquaponics system.
Each system is different and each are trying to grow in specific environmental conditions.
That said, there are three things you want to keep in mind when choosing the fish the BEST fits YOUR system:
Environmental Conditions
Feed Sources
Purpose
Environmental Conditions
This is perhaps the most important variable. It is crucial that you match your fish with the right environmental conditions!
Some environmental conditions to think about:
Water Temperature
Knowing your water temperature helps narrow down the selection process. For example, if you know your water temperature is high, trout and other cold water fish wouldn’t make a good fit in the system.
Hardness of the Water
Different municipalities have different types of water. The type of water is important when selecting fish. Hard water is water that contains dissolved mineral carbonates such as calcium and magnesium carbonates.
Different fish live in different hardness levels. As for fish health, water hardness alters osmoregulation. What this means increases fish’s fluid concentration and the surrounding water.
Goldfish and Koi flourish in moderate to hard water. If your system’s water is hard keep this in mind.
Feed Sources
Finding an adequate feed source for your fish is key to having a thriving aquaponics system. Availability, consistency, and the type of feed are necessary when selecting a feed source.
Keep in mind the amount of feed your system requires: a commercial or personal amount.
Availability
Availability of feed is important. Having a supplier with readily available feed will help keep your shelves stocked. It’s great to be able to buy feed locally, but not all feeds are available from your local feed store. Some high quality feeds may have to be special ordered. If this is the case then it’s good to get on a schedule to make sure you’ll have the feed you need when you need it.
Consistency
By using the same feed each time and feeding at the same time keeps consistency with the fish, ensuring that you don’t over feed them and waste food.
Different types of fish food to potentially use in your system! (Courtesy of mediabistro.com)
This will help lock you and your fish into a schedule.
Type of food
Research what feed sources are out there. Match a feed source with a fish, this will help. Fish food is not universal. Different feeds are for different fish. Protein content is the most important variable in most systems. Omnivorous fish need feed with 20-30% protein, whereas carnivorous fish prefer feeds with a protein content of 40%+. Also look to make sure that all of the protein is digestible. Protein sources like feather meal are not easily digested and are usually wasted.
Make sure you can find a sufficient amount of the food that compliments the fish that you are using. If not, you’ll struggle to balance the amount of feed going into your system and your system water chemistry (i.e. nitrogen levels). Choose the right food! If chemicals and toxins from fish food potentially leaching into your system is a concern…
Pick a food from a reputable source, and you shouldn’t have any problems.
As stated before, you want to think about the size of your system, smaller systems won’t require the same amount of feed.
Fish Purpose
Fish can serve multiple purposes in aquaponic systems. Some folks enjoy eating their fish after they have a reproducing population. Others aren’t interested in eating fish, they want to utilize nutrients fish produce. Selecting a fish for its specific purpose is important.
Koi fish
Non-food Fish
Some examples of non-food fish are: Koi and Goldfish
Why?
These fish are resilient as both can survive in relatively poor water quality.
As for food sources, they will eat just about anything.
Maintenance of the fish is little to none. They are easy to care for.
They’re also relatively inexpensive compared to trout, tilapia, etc.
Food Fish
As for food fish, it is up to you. Know what type of fish you enjoy (don’t pick a fish you wouldn’t eat). Keep in mind the above factors when it comes time to choosing a fish. If you like trout, make sure you have access to cold water.
A general rule of thumb: Be realistic with your fish decision!
Just Remember…
Before you select your fish for you system, remember that the best fish for YOUR system depends on YOUR:
1. Environmental Conditions
2. Feed Sources
3. Purpose of the fish
There is no universal “best fish.” Each system is different, but keeping these three tips in mind will help you when selecting a fish for your system!
