Background:
The feed cost is the major input cost in the culture of freshwater fishes. Attempts are being made globally to substitute partially or completely replace the high priced fishmeal with a cost effective protein source. Hence an insect based meal using the black soldier fly prepupae was tried in feed for the commercially important freshwater fish, Pangasius. BSF prepupae was incorporated along with some conventional ingredients to develop a palatable floating fish feed which is an effective way for waste to wealth conversion. The technology BSF Floating Fish Feed was developed by ICAR-CIFRI in collaboration with ICAR-NBAIR.:
Technology Details:
• Black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens can efficiently convert protein free organic wastes into protein rich biomass that could serve as partial or complete replacement of fish feed with BSF as an effective alternate protein supplement.:
• The floating pellet BSF fish feed was successfully tried in grow-out stages of Pangasionodon hypophthalmus (Pangasius) under cage culture in field conditions.:
• The formulated feed is nutrient rich with a protein level of 28, 26 & 24% and lipid level 5% respectively for the optimum growth of the fishes.:
• Ingredients for the feed were carefully selected to ensure high digestibility and to meet essential nutrient need of the species. Vitamins and minerals were additionally supplemented to ensure micronutrient requirements.:
• The feed ingredients were selected carefully to meet nutritional requirement and to optimize the cost of feed for economic feasibility of freshwater fish culture.:
• Selection of ingredients and their proportion and processing done in such a manner that provides water stability for minimum 2-3 hours.:
• The feed is highly palatable and fishes readily consume.:
• The feed ensures average feed to flesh conversion rate of 1.4 at the temperature range of 28-32 ̊C: