Aquaculture procurement & financing — full FAQ
Every question buyers ask us about vendor-neutral sourcing, supplier selection, project eligibility, fees and financing introductions.
Top 10 buyer questions — where each is answered
General guidance only. Final design and performance come from the supplier or EPC contractor you select.
What does a commercial RAS fish farm project require?
A defined species and annual tonnage, a water source and analysis, site power, and a system design covering tanks, solids removal, biofiltration, oxygenation, pumping and monitoring. These come before any equipment price.
Full answer →How do I compare RAS supplier or turnkey farm proposals?
Put every proposal on the same scope first: capacity, included equipment, installation, commissioning, training, warranty and spare parts. Only then compare price line by line.
Full answer →What information is needed to request quotes for a fish or shrimp farm?
Species and life stage, production target, peak biomass, water source and quality, temperature range, location, available power, the chosen system and clear scope boundaries.
Full answer →What equipment does a commercial hatchery or nursery need?
It depends on species and stage: broodstock holding, spawning and incubation units, larval and nursery tanks, live-feed production, water treatment and disinfection, heating or cooling, and monitoring.
Full answer →How do water source, species, climate, power and production target affect scope?
They set the system type, the water treatment, the heating or cooling load, the oxygen and pumping demand and the electrical supply, so they must be fixed before suppliers can size or price anything.
Full answer →How do pond, cage, flow-through and RAS systems compare?
They differ in water use, land or sea area, energy demand, biosecurity, control over the environment and capital cost. The right choice depends on the species, the site and the market.
Full answer →What should a fish or shrimp processing and packing line include?
Receiving, grading, the processing steps for the product form, chilling or freezing, packing and cold storage, plus hygiene, water, waste handling and the target daily throughput.
Full answer →How do I plan a farm expansion or equipment replacement?
Start from current production and limits, decide the new target, and check whether existing water treatment, oxygen, power and buildings can carry the extra load before ordering equipment.
Full answer →What should an aquaculture RFQ include so suppliers quote the same scope?
The project data, a list of what must be included and excluded, required performance, delivery and installation terms, and a common format for the price breakdown.
Full answer →What should buyers check in supplier proposals?
Who installs and commissions the system, what training is given, the warranty terms, the spare-parts list and lead times, local service support, and which items are excluded.
Full answer →
Key aquaculture questions — direct answers
What is RAS aquaculture?
RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) farming raises fish in indoor tanks that clean and reuse 90–99% of the water through mechanical filtration, biofiltration, CO₂ stripping and oxygenation. Because the water loop is controlled, production is independent of climate, soil and local water bodies — at the cost of higher capital and energy input than ponds or cages.
Read the full guide →What equipment is needed for a fish hatchery?
A commercial fish or shrimp hatchery needs egg incubation and larval rearing tanks, a live-feed section (algae and artemia culture), fine filtration with UV or ozone disinfection, heating, aeration and oxygenation, and dissolved-oxygen and temperature monitoring. Backup power and emergency oxygen are core scope, not extras — larval stages die within minutes of an oxygen interruption.
Read the full guide →How do I find aquaculture equipment suppliers?
Shortlist suppliers that specialise in your system type and species, check export experience and after-sales coverage in your country, then compare quotes on identical, engineering-grounded scope rather than marketing material. Submitting one structured RFQ through FishMatch Group does this for you: we prepare the technical requirement, run confidential outreach to project-matched suppliers and normalise the offers so they can be compared side by side.
Read the full guide →How much does a shrimp farm cost?
From about USD 25,000–60,000 per hectare for semi-intensive earthen ponds and USD 80,000–180,000 per hectare for intensive lined ponds, to USD 400,000 per hectare and above for indoor RAS. Operating cost typically lands at USD 3.40–5.00 per kg in intensive lined ponds and USD 7.00–12.00 per kg for indoor RAS shrimp in Europe or North America.
Read the full guide →How does an aquaculture project run with FishMatch Group?
A project starts with the buyer's species, target output, site and budget. FishMatch Group checks feasibility with planning calculators, prepares one structured technical scope, runs confidential outreach to project-matched suppliers and normalises the offers so the buyer can compare them side by side. Buyers never see supplier identities until they choose to proceed, and pay no buyer fees.
Read the full guide →How do you choose a shrimp or fish broodstock supplier?
Choose a broodstock supplier on documented health status and genetics, not on price alone. For shrimp this means SPF (specific pathogen free) certification from a recognised testing programme, the genetic line (fast growth or disease resistance), and a valid export health certificate for your country. For fish, check the breeding programme, the generation and the vaccination or health records.
Read the full guide →How much feed does a fish or shrimp farm need, and what do feed and juveniles cost?
Young fish eat about 5–10% of their body weight a day; near harvest that drops to about 1–2% for fish and 2–3% for shrimp. Over a whole cycle, total feed is output times FCR: our farm planner uses FCR 1.6 for tilapia, 1.4 for vannamei shrimp, 1.2 for salmon and trout and 1.8 for sea bass and bream. Planner feed prices are about $0.60/kg for tilapia, $1.10 for shrimp, $1.40 for sea bass and $1.60 for salmon. Juveniles are about $0.08 per tilapia fingerling, $5 per 1,000 shrimp post-larvae, $0.25 per sea bass fry and $1.50 per salmon smolt.
Read the full guide →What is an aquaculture farm management system?
An aquaculture farm management system is software, usually with mobile data entry and sensor connections, that keeps one production record for every tank, pond or cage: stocking, transfers, feeding, losses, growth samples, water quality, treatments and harvest, plus planning and cost reports. For a new farm the procurement question is not only which software to use, but whether the feeders, sensors, controls and power you buy can supply that data reliably.
Read the full guide →How do you choose a RAS system supplier?
Choose a RAS supplier on running reference farms, a written design basis and a clear scope of supply, not on price per tonne alone. Ask for farms with the same species and a similar size, the feed load and stocking density the system is sized for, exactly what is included (filtration, biofilter, oxygen, pumps, controls, installation, start-up), and who supports the farm after handover.
Read the full guide →Which country is best for a fish or shrimp farm?
There is no single best country. It depends on the species, the water temperature, electricity prices and the licensing route. Warm coastal countries suit pond shrimp and tilapia. RAS (indoor recirculating) farms are less tied to climate and are often built close to the buyers, where power is reliable. Each country guide here compares those factors and includes a local cost calculator.
Read the full guide →How do I calculate stocking density?
Divide the total biomass in the tank or pond by the water volume: density (kg/m³) = fish count × average weight (g) ÷ 1,000 ÷ water volume (m³). Work it out at peak biomass, just before harvest or grading — that is the load your oxygen, aeration and biofiltration must carry.
Read the full guide →What is FCR in aquaculture?
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is kilograms of feed given per kilogram of biomass gained: FCR = total feed ÷ (final biomass − initial biomass). Lower is better. Compare it with your own past cycles and your feed supplier's feeding table for the same species, size and system — not with a universal number.
Read the full guide →How much oxygen do fish need?
As a rule of thumb, one tonne of fish consumes about 0.3–0.5 kg of oxygen per hour while feeding, dropping to 0.15–0.25 kg/h at rest. Warm water and the hours after feeding set the design point, which is why night-time oxygen risk — not daily average demand — decides aeration and emergency oxygen sizing.
Read the full guide →RAS, farm cost and feed management — common questions
What is a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)?
A RAS is a land-based fish farm that cleans and reuses its water instead of letting it flow through once. Water leaving the tanks passes through solids removal, a biofilter that turns toxic ammonia into nitrate, degassing and oxygenation, often with UV, and then returns to the tanks. Only a small share of the water is replaced each day.
Open the related tool →How do you size a biofilter for a RAS?
Start from the daily feed. Ammonia produced (TAN) is commonly estimated as feed × protein content × 0.092 (Timmons & Ebeling). Divide that daily TAN by the nitrification rate of the chosen media, taken from the supplier's datasheet at your temperature, to get the media volume.
Open the related tool →How much oxygen does a fish farm need?
Oxygen demand follows the feed: a common RAS design value is about 0.25 kg of oxygen per kg of feed (Timmons & Ebeling), adjusted for species, temperature and feeding peaks. The oxygen or aeration system is then sized to cover that demand with a safety margin.
Open the related tool →How much does it cost to start a fish farm?
There is no single figure: cost depends on the system (ponds, cages, flow-through or RAS), species, annual tonnage, site works and how much is bought turnkey. Compare projects per tonne of annual production, and price equipment, construction and installation separately so quotes can be compared.
Open the related tool →What are the main operating costs of a fish farm?
In fed aquaculture, feed is usually the largest operating cost. Energy is a major cost in RAS because of pumping, oxygen and temperature control. Juveniles (fingerlings or post-larvae), labour, maintenance and insurance make up most of the rest.
Open the related tool →What is FCR and how is it calculated?
FCR (feed conversion ratio) is the feed given divided by the weight the fish gained over the same period. An FCR of 1.2 means 1.2 kg of feed for every 1 kg of growth. A lower FCR means less feed per kilo produced, which lowers the main operating cost.
Open the related tool →How much and how often should fish be fed?
Feed is planned as a percentage of fish body weight per day. That percentage falls as fish grow and changes with water temperature and oxygen. Use the feed manufacturer's feeding table for your species and pellet size, then adjust to appetite.
Open the related tool →How can a fish farm reduce feed waste?
Feed to appetite rather than a fixed amount, match pellet size to fish size, cut feeding when temperature or oxygen is outside the safe range, and watch for uneaten pellets. Automatic or demand feeders spread meals evenly. Track FCR per batch to see whether changes work.
Open the related tool →How FishMatch works — core questions
What is FishMatch Group?
FishMatch Group is a supplier-neutral platform for commercial aquaculture projects. Buyers describe their fish or shrimp project in one structured brief, and our team reviews it and helps request comparable proposals from suitable suppliers. It is a human-reviewed service, not an automatic marketplace.
Does it cost anything for buyers?
No. The calculators, guides, project brief and buyer platform services are free for buyers, and there is no obligation to request quotes or choose any supplier.
Is there a minimum project size?
Procurement assistance is for commercial projects from USD 250,000. Smaller requests are still saved and answered with links to the free tools and guides, which anyone can use.
Will I see supplier names and contact details?
Supplier identities stay private during the review. You compare proposals on scope, technical fit, delivery and support, and contact details are shared only when you choose to proceed. Your own contact details are not passed to suppliers without your agreement.
Do suppliers pay to be recommended?
No. There are no paid placements or rankings. Proposals are compared against your brief, and you decide.
How fast will I get a reply?
A member of the team aims to reply within one business day. How long suppliers take to prepare proposals depends on the project, so we do not promise quote dates.
Can FishMatch finance my project?
FishMatch does not lend money. With your consent, we can introduce you to independent financing providers; any decision is theirs, and approval is never promised.
How do I start?
Fill in the free project brief with species, capacity, system, location, water, equipment needs, timeline and budget. The more complete it is, the more comparable the proposals will be.
Working with FishMatch Group
Why buyers use a sourcing partner, the five-step buyer journey, supplier checks and confidentiality: buyer sourcing questions on How we work.
Want FishMatch Group on your phone? See how to install the app.
Short answer
What is the fastest way to get quotes for FAQ?
Submit one structured request for FAQ. FishMatch Group translates it into a technical RFQ, runs a confidential sourcing round with project-matched international suppliers, and returns comparable quotations. No fee is charged to the buyer, and your identity and project details stay private until you choose to proceed.
- How it works:
- One structured request, human-reviewed before any supplier outreach
- Typical turnaround:
- Depends on scope and site data; no turnaround is guaranteed
- Confidentiality:
- Supplier names are never exposed during evaluation
- Cost to buyers:
- No fee charged to the buyer