How much to feed?

[Wally Walpumur]

Hi,
Just found gb and now looking at finding some barramundi fingerlings, i wish to know how much to feed them to start with? 1000ltr ft 500gb and about 20 to 25 fish
Thanks in advance
WW

[Mantis]

I wouldnt be too worried about how much to feed as the system is new and you have to worry about getting it cycled. Doing the cycling with fish you need to test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates and ph daily. So there may be many days that you would be advised not to feed at all, if the readings are high
Get your system going, get a good test kit, start a system thread and post water readings. Many here can advise along the way

Good luck

[Castaway]

Feed them as much as they can handle. Any uneaten food should be removed. With barra I have found a number of light feeds throughout the day is better than a big feed. Get to know your fish and their eating habits and you will soon learn how much you can safely feed them by observing them and not overdoing it.

[bigdaddy]

Hi Wally,

If you aim for 2 grow bed to 1 fish tank and a minmum of 1:1

You could even go up to 40 fish and harvest them at about 500 grams, if you want.

I started with 20 barra with a 1:1 grow bed: tank ratio, and a 1000 litre system.Then split it into 2 and got 20 trout and added another 700 litres grow bed, to make a total of 40 fish and have no probs,just don't want to go to many more than 40 per thousand litres of fish tank, with a grow out to 500 grams that is plenty for me.

It won't take you long to sort out how much food to feed, but it will be tricky as it is with everyones system,when you first add the fish,make sure you have a good water test kit handy, and thermometer to measure the tank temp as well and post all test results daily, so the experienced folk on this forum can guide you through.

I found it to be lot of fun,enjoy the ride!

Cheers.

[DaveOponic]

The thing to watch with Barra is if you don't feed them enough they will eat their siblings. Keep an eye on the ones that get bigger and take them out and isolate them every day.

I started this year with over 100 Barra and now only have eight

One they reach a few centimetres in length they give up their hannibal tendencies and eat like civilised fish, although they are pretty snappy eaters and like to wolf down their food before others get it ...... guess that's what happens when you come from a big family where everyone wanted to eat each other!!!

Dave

[Castaway]

No doubt about Barramundi snapping at their food. I threw a thermometer into the tank and was amazed as two of them struck at the bottom of it. The base had a shape that resembles a roundish pellet.

[Wally Walpumur]

Thanks for all the advice -I'm looking forward to it
WW