Farm operations
Fish feeding rates, feed prices and fingerling prices
How much to feed each day, how much feed a whole cycle needs, and what feed and juveniles cost when you plan a commercial fish or shrimp farm. Prices are the planning figures used in our farm planner, not supplier quotes. A person reviews every request. Supplier identities stay private.
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.
Daily feeding rate by size (% of body weight per day)
| Stage | Fish (warm water) | Shrimp |
|---|---|---|
| Fry / post-larvae | 8–10% | 10–15% |
| Fingerling / juvenile | 4–6% | 5–8% |
| Grow-out (mid cycle) | 2–3% | 3–4% |
| Near harvest | 1–2% | 2–3% |
Lower the ration in cold water or when oxygen is low. Always follow the feed maker's table for your pellet.
Planning figures by species
| Species | FCR | Feed $/kg | Feed per tonne output | Juvenile price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilapia | 1.6 | $0.60 | 1.6 t · $960 | $0.08 each |
| Shrimp (vannamei) | 1.4 | $1.10 | 1.4 t · $1,540 | $5 per 1,000 |
| Salmon / trout | 1.2 | $1.60 | 1.2 t · $1,920 | $1.50 each |
| Sea bass / bream | 1.8 | $1.40 | 1.8 t · $2,520 | $0.25 each |
What determines feed prices and fingerling prices
Protein level and fishmeal
Feed price follows protein content. Shrimp and salmon feeds use more protein and fishmeal than tilapia feed, so they cost more per kg. Fishmeal and soybean meal prices move the whole market.
Pellet type and size
Floating extruded pellets cost more than sinking pellets but waste less feed. Starter and fry feeds cost far more per kg than grower feeds, but are a small share of the total.
Import duty, freight and volume
Imported feed adds freight and duty; local mills are usually cheaper per kg. Buying by the truckload or under a yearly contract lowers price.
Fingerling size and quality
Larger juveniles cost more each but survive better and shorten the cycle. Sex-reversed tilapia, specific-pathogen-free (SPF) shrimp post-larvae and vaccinated smolts cost more, and usually pay back through survival.
Health certificate and transport
Always compare prices including the health certificate, packing and transport to the farm. Long transport raises losses on arrival.
Related pages
Short answer
What is the fastest way to get quotes for Fish Feeding Rates And Prices?
Submit one structured request for Fish Feeding Rates And Prices. 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
What is the fastest way to get quotes for Fish Feeding Rates And Prices?
Submit one structured request for Fish Feeding Rates And Prices. 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 does FishMatch Group source suppliers for this requirement?
You submit one structured request. We translate it into a technical RFQ, run it against qualified manufacturers and integrators in the relevant categories, and return normalised quotations you can compare side by side on scope, lead time and total cost of ownership.
Do buyers see supplier names during the sourcing process?
No. Supplier identities stay confidential during discovery and evaluation. You receive anonymised, comparable technical and commercial packages, and introductions happen only after both sides are qualified and agree to proceed.
Before you request quotes
Costs & budgeting
How much does a commercial fish farm cost to build?
Budget ranges depend on system type, not on country alone. Pond and cage projects are usually the lowest capital per tonne of annual output, while recirculating (RAS) projects carry the highest equipment and energy share because filtration, oxygenation and backup power are mandatory. Reliable numbers come from a sized bill of quantities — species, target tonnage, water source and grow-out temperature — not from a generic price list. Use the FishMatch calculators to size the project, then submit an RFQ so quotes are priced against the same specification.
What drives the price differences between aquaculture equipment quotes?
Most spread between quotes comes from scope, not from margin: included spares, installation and commissioning, control and automation level, materials (HDPE vs steel vs FRP), certification and testing, delivery terms (EXW vs CIF) and warranty length. Two quotes are only comparable when they answer the same specification. A structured RFQ fixes the scope so differences reflect real engineering choices.
What operating costs should a business plan include?
Feed is normally the largest recurring cost, followed by energy (highest in RAS), labour, fingerlings or post-larvae, health management, water treatment consumables and maintenance. Financing cost and working capital for the first production cycle are frequently underestimated. FishMatch cost tools separate CAPEX from OPEX so the payback assumption is visible rather than implied.