Cheap Catfish Feeds You Can Mix at Home to Save Money

 

Best Catfish Feed for Maximum Growth

To achieve maximum growth and good profit you need to adopt good feeding habits. In my farm l feed them once daily, however you administer the feed in handful until the fish are full and stop scrambling.

Not all feed types are perfect for good results, that is why l have written this article to help fish farmers make the right choice.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Types of Catfish Feed
• 3. Best Feed Recommendations
• 4. Feeding Tips for Faster Growth
• 5. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Feeding is one of the most important aspects of catfish farming. The quality, type, and timing of feed directly influence growth rate, survival, and overall profitability. If you want your catfish to grow big, healthy, and fast, you need to use the right feed at the right stage of development.

Before choosing feed, it’s also important to understand how to manage catfish fingerlings properly, since young fish require special diets for survival and faster growth.

2. Types of Catfish Feed

Catfish feed is generally divided into two broad categories:

• Commercial Feed: Processed floating or sinking pellets that are balanced with protein, vitamins, and minerals.
• Local/Alternative Feed: Farm-made feeds such as ground maize, soybeans, groundnut cake, or kitchen waste. While cheaper, they are often less balanced nutritionally.

Commercial feed is strongly recommended if your goal is maximum growth, but some farmers combine it with alternative feed to reduce costs.

3. Best Feed Recommendations

Here are the top feed options that catfish farmers use for fast and healthy growth:

1. Coppens Feed: A high-quality imported feed known for excellent conversion rates. Best for fingerlings and juvenile stages.
2. Skretting Feed: Premium floating pellets with balanced nutrition, suitable for all growth stages.
3. Blue Crown Feed: Locally available and widely trusted by Nigerian farmers. Affordable and effective for grow-out stages.
4. Aqualis Feed: Another reliable option with good protein content for medium to large catfish.
5. Farm-made Feed: Can be used to supplement commercial feeds, but must be carefully mixed to avoid nutritional gaps.

For best results, start your catfish with high-quality feed during the early stages, then gradually transition to cost-effective options once they reach table size. Sorting your fish regularly is also important, as explained in this guide on when and how to sort catfish.

4. Feeding Tips for Faster Growth

• Feed small catfish (fingerlings and juveniles) 3–4 times daily with high-protein pellets.
• As they grow bigger, reduce feeding to 2 times daily.
• Avoid overfeeding—only give what the fish can finish within 5–10 minutes.
• Maintain clean water because leftover feed can pollute the pond.
• During artificial breeding or stocking, follow proper artificial spawning techniques to ensure healthy fry that will respond well to feed.

Farmers should also monitor feed conversion ratio (FCR) to know how efficiently their fish are growing based on the feed given.

5. Conclusion

The best catfish feed for maximum growth is one that is nutritionally balanced, suitable for each growth stage, and fed in the right quantity. Brands like Coppens, Skretting, Blue Crown, and Aqualis are proven options for Nigerian farmers. Combined with proper feeding practices, sorting, and good pond management, your catfish can achieve faster growth and higher market value.

For more detailed strategies, don’t miss this post on how to optimize catfish feed for faster growth.Catfish feed is generally divided into processed feed and live/natural feed.

Types of catfish feed 

1. Processed Catfish Feed

These are manufactured feeds (pellets or powders) made from a mix of ingredients like maize, soybean meal, groundnut cake, fishmeal, vitamins, and minerals. They are specially formulated to provide balanced nutrition.

Types:

Powder Feed – usually given to fry (very young catfish) because it’s fine and easy to digest.

Crumble Feed – small broken-down pellets for fingerlings.

Floating Pellets – processed to float on water so farmers can monitor feeding and reduce waste.

Sinking Pellets – heavier feed that sinks; often used for bigger catfish in deeper ponds.

Extruded Feed – high-quality floating feed made with extrusion technology for maximum digestibility.

Locally Formulated Feed – made by farmers using ingredients like maize bran, fishmeal, PKC (palm kernel cake), etc. Cheaper but quality depends on formulation.

2. Live (Natural) Feed

These are natural organisms or agricultural by-products that catfish can eat directly, especially at the early stages of life.

Examples:

Zooplankton & Phytoplankton – tiny organisms in ponds (infusoria, rotifers, daphnia) essential for fry.

Worms (Earthworms, Maggots, Bloodworms) – high in protein, good for fingerlings and juveniles.

Insects & Larvae – termites, soldier fly larvae, grasshoppers.

Snails & Tadpoles – sometimes used as supplementary feed.

Small Fish (Trash Fish/Fry) – used in traditional systems but not always sustainable.

Duckweed & Azolla (aquatic plants) – natural greens used as supplementary feed.

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✅ Key Difference:

Processed feed ensures consistent nutrition and faster growth but costs more.

Live feed is cheap and natural but not always reliable in quantity or balanced nutritionally.