Fish Selection for Aquaponics

Chris Hartleb Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility

Department of Biology University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Status of Global Aquaculture: Farmed and Wild

Selection Criteria

• Compatibility – fish, plants, bacteria • Availability – source of fish & regulations • Quantity – how many do you need? • Marketing – will you sell them? To whom?

Compatibility with Plants & Bacteria

• Requirements for germination & growth • Simultaneous fish & plant selection

Plant Requirements (lettuce as an example)

Parameter Range

Temperature 60-80oF / 15-26oC

pH Preferred: 5.8 - 6.2 Maximum: 7.0 - 7.5

Bacteria Requirements

Plants

Compromise: Temperature: 70-80oF / 21 - 26oC pH = 7.0

Bacteria Parameter Optimum Range

Temperature: Nitrosomonas Nitrobacter

68 – 86oF / 20 – 30oC 82 – 100oF / 28 – 38oC

pH: Nitrosomonas Nitrobacter

7.8 – 8.0 7.3 – 7.5

Parameter Range

Temperature 60-80oF / 15-26oC

pH Preferred: 5.8 - 6.2 Maximum: 7.0 - 7.5

Parameter Range

Temperature 60-80oF / 15-26oC

pH 7.0 – 8.0

Fish

Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)

Fish Tanks

Clarifier

Mineralization tanks

Raft Tank Water Pump

Degassing Tank

Air pump

Why control using RAS?

• Physical control – Temperature – Light intensity, daylength, spectrum – Dissolved gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide)

• Chemical control – Water quality – Feeding – Wastewater

• Biological control – Viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites (pathogens) – Fish

• Low stress = high or optimal survival & growth

Water Quality

• Temperature: poikilotherms • Dissolved oxygen: limited in water • pH: indicator • Ammonia & Nitrite: fish waste products

– pH and temperature determine the proportion – Alkaline pH more NH3 (toxic) – Acidic pH more NH4 (less toxic) – Bacterial nitrification converts ammonia to nitrite

• Fish are sensitive at levels >0.6 mg/L

• Hardness – Influences fish osmoregulation

• CO2: product of fish respiration – Regulated by aeration

Production Water Quality Parameters for Cool-water Fish

Parameter Range

Temperature 72 - 76oF / 22 - 24oC

Dissolved oxygen 7.0 - 8.3 mg/L

Oxygen saturation 85 – 100%

pH 7.0 – 8.0

Unionized ammonia-N Total ammonia-N

<0.01 mg/L <1.0 mg/L

Nitrite-N <0.5 mg/L

Nitrate-N <250 mg/L

Carbon dioxide <10 mg/L

Total alkalinity 50-700 mg/L

Tolerance Ranges

Generalized Fish Categories

Group Temperature DO requirement

Ammonia tolerance

Protein requirement

Coldwater <60oF / <15oC >5 mg/L Low High

Coolwater 60 – 75oF / 15 – 24oC >5 mg/L Low Moderate

Warmwater >75oF / >24oC >2 mg/L Moderate Moderate

Tolerance Ranges for Growth of Tilapia

Culture factor Range

Temperature 64 - 90oF (17 - 32oC)

Dissolved oxygen 3 – 10 mg/L

pH 7 – 8

Ammonia-N 0 – 0.04 mg/L

Nitrite-N 0 – 0.8 mg/L

Hardness 50 - 350 mg/L

CO2 0 – 30 mg/L

• Widely cultured in tropical and sub-tropical regions.

• A favorite for aquaponics.

Growth Rate of Nile Tilapia

• More than tripled in weight during 104 day (3 ½ months) study. • Inverse relationship between density and growth.

Tilapia Production

• Worldwide: – 830,000 tons in 1990 – 1.6 million tons in 1999 – 3.5 million tons in 2008

• China: 1.1 million tons in 2008

Tilapia Imports to U.S.

• Frozen tilapia fillets from China (90% of market)

• Fresh tilapia fillets are a niche market.

2007 2008 2009

China 120.0 119.3 130.4

Indonesia 8.6 9.8 8.8

Taiwan PC 16.1 18.6 15.7

Ecuador 12.5 9.2 10.2

Thailand 0.2 3.7 1.6

Honduras 7.9 8.3 6.5

Costa Rica 4.8 5.6 5.7

Others 3.6 4.9 4.5

Total 173.7 179.4 183.4

Estimated Cost of Production

• Brazil, Ecuador, Cuba: $1.10 / kg • Costa Rica, Jamaica: $1.20 / kg • Colombia, Mexico: $1.25 / kg • USA: $2.00 / kg • Canada: $2.10 / kg

Current Market Trends

• U.S. and European growers will concentrate on live sales. • Latin America and Southeast Asia will be primary U.S. suppliers of fillets and

processed forms. • Latin America, Caribbean and Africa will supply European markets. • U.S. imports are growing, demand is very good and almost all supplies are coming

from imports. • Second most popular fish in U.S. retail stores, behind salmon, and the 5th most

popular fishery product overall. • Tilapia supply will continue to expand from increased Chinese production mainly

directed at U.S. markets.

Tolerance Ranges for Growth of Percidae (Example: Yellow perch)

Culture factor Range

Temperature 70 – 75oF (21-24oC)

Dissolved oxygen 3.5 – 10 mg/L

pH 6.5-9

Ammonia-N 0 – 0.0125 mg/L

Nitrite-N 0 – 1.0 mg/L

Hardness 50 – 400 mg/L

CO2 0 – 6 mg/L

• Widely cultured in Midwest U.S.

• A favorite fish for the Friday-night fish fry.

Growth Rates of Yellow Perch & Pikeperch

• Yellow perch: 19oC RAS, raised for 4 months • Mixed vs monosex (female)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

November December January February March April

Month

Wei

ght (

g)

Lake Mendota mixed sex

Lake Mendota mono sex female

Pikeperch: 2 months in RAS

Growth Rates of Walleye & Hybrids

Weig ht g ain of H ybrid Walleye R eared in R ec yc le S ys tem at 23 C

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

50 66 95 114 159 192 235 270 310 370 430 490 560

Da ys P ost Ha tc h

Gra

ms

F ingerling phas e IID GR =0.5 g/day

Growout phas e III-IVD GR =1.4 g/day

Tolerance Ranges for Growth of Centrarchids (Example: Bluegill)

Culture factor Ranges

Temperature 68 – 85oF (20-29oC)

Dissolved oxygen 4 – 10 mg/L

pH 7 – 8.5

Ammonia-N 0 – 0.01 mg/L

Nitrite-N 0 – 0.8 mg/L

Hardness 50 – 200 mg/L

CO2 0 – 25 mg/L

• Potential as temperate region tilapia.

• Widely cultured in Midwest U.S.

• Broad geographic distribution.

Growth Rates of Bluegill & Hybrids • Bluegill and female green - male bluegill hybrids. • 0.5 lbs (227 g) market-size needed in 10-12 months. • Feed ranges: 32-40% crude protein

Tolerance Ranges for Growth of Channel Catfish

Culture factor Ranges

Temperature 70 – 90oF (21-32oC)

Dissolved oxygen >4 mg/L

pH 7 – 8

Ammonia-N 0 – 0.05 mg/L

Hardness 25 – 100 mg/L

CO2 <10 mg/L

• Hardy and tolerant. • International and national

market saturation. • More economical

production in ponds. • Sub-optimal growth in RAS.

Tolerance Ranges for Growth of Carp (Example: Koi & Goldfish)

Culture factor Ranges

Temperature 65 – 75oF (18-24oC)

Dissolved oxygen 4 – 10 mg/L

pH 6 – 8

Ammonia-N 0 – 0.08 mg/L

Nitrite-N 0 – 0.6 mg/L

Hardness 50 – 350 mg/L

CO2 0 – 25 mg/L

• Ornamental trade and sales. • Hardy & tolerant. • Marketing.

Tolerances Ranges for Growth of Salmonids

Culture factor Ranges

Temperature: Optimal

<71oF / <22oC 53 – 60oF / 12 - 16oC

Dissolved oxygen >6.0 mg/L

pH 6.5 – 8.0

Ammonia-N <0.01 mg/L

Hardness 10 – 400 mg/L

CO2 <10 mg/L

• Most popular retail fish in U.S.

• Well established markets. • Potential in RAS being

documented.

Growth Rate of Rainbow Trout • All female • Continuous light, fed every 1-2 hours

Growth Rate of Atlantic Salmon

• Raised at 13oC • Continuous light vs 12:12 for winter

Growth Rate of Arctic Char

• Triploid vs diploid

Freshwater Species

• Most any fish can be cultured in RAS as long as it does well under medium to high density culture.

• Optimization data needed. – Largemouth bass

• Markets mostly large cities – Barramundi (sea bass)

• Australia to Southeast Asia • 1.5 – 2.0 lbs in a year

– Murray cod • Australia, carnivorous but readily accepts feed • Adaptable to crowding

– Jade perch • Australia, require water temperature >16oC • Can grow to 500 g in under 12 months

– Pacu – Others

Marketing

Fish Feed

• The fish food provides the nutrients to the entire system: Fish – bacteria- plants

• Assimilation and conversion • Fish selection affects diet choice and

nutrient availability: – Herbivorous fish require a diet of 22-

35% protein. – Omnivorous fish require a diet of 32-

38% protein. – Carnivorous fish may require 40-50%

protein.

Fish Nutrition Required Elements in Fish Diet

Essential Amino acids Non-essential Amino acids Vitamins Minerals Elements for Plants Arginine Alanine Thiamine Phosphorus Phosphorus

Histidine Asparagine Riboflavin Manganese* Manganese*

Isoleucine Aspartate Pyridoxine Copper* Copper*

Leucine Cysteine Pantothenate Iron Iron

Lysine Glutamate Biotin Potassium Potassium

Methionine Glutamine Choline Calcium Calcium

Phenylalanine Glycine Folate Magnesium Magnesium

Threonine Proline Ascorbic acid Zinc* Zinc*

Tryptophan Serine Vitamin A Cobalt* Boron*

Valine Tyrosine Vitamin D Selenium* Molybdenum*

Vitamin E Iodine* Sulfur

Vitamin K Nitrogen

Vitamin B12

Nutrient Percent of feed

Protein 45%

Fat 22%

Carbohydrates 25%

Moisture 10%

Ash 2%

*micronutrients

Fate of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Fish Feed

Food 100% N 100% P

Retained in Tissues 30% N 32% P

Dissolved 87% N 10-40% P

Solids 13% N 60-90% P

Effluent 70% N 68% P

Availability

• Know your national, state, and local Import regulations. http://www.ncrac.org/Info/StateImportRegs/stateregsmain.htm

Source & Receiving Fish

• Know your nursery provider. • Health certificate & Quarantine • Acclimate • Year-round availability

Depuration or Purge

• Removing off-flavor

Conclusions

• More detailed information needed for optimizing culture performance of fish in aquaponics.

• Information can be garnered from studies using recirculating aquaculture. • Tilapia optimization has been done, but other issues arise. • Marketing awareness and consumer education.

• VetMedCE.org – "Fish Health Courses for Producers and Veterinarians" > "Fish Producer Courses“

• Chartleb@uwsp.edu • http://aquaculture.uwsp.edu