Many of us like raising fish at home as pets, but have you thought about raising fish for food and profit? This is a great way to get your animal proteins, eat fresh, while you make some money; it doesn’t get much easier than this.

It’s possible for an average family to grow all their food at home and eat locally, and also make some extra cash. You could raise fish, not only in your backyard pond but you could also raise a number of fish indoors in aquariums or fish tanks. This article will show you simple ways to raise fish at home, wherever you have some additional space.

Raising fish indoors for profit

The idea of raising fish indoors for profit is not a new concept. Indoor aquaculture is gaining popularity worldwide. Why? Because people want to eat locally grown food. More and more consumers today are conscious about where and how their food was grown. People are tired of irresponsible farming practices, and want to  support  farming that  does no harm to the environment.

Raising your own fish for food is easy, convenient, and doesn’t impact the environment as much as large scale aquaculture or wild harvesting. And, the best thing about raising fish indoors is that you could be eating fresh, right from your aquarium. Now, you couldn’t get fish any fresher than that!

Besides feeding your family with home grown fish, you could also take it a step further and start your own indoor fish farm, and start selling your fish for a profit. I am sure your friends and family would enjoy eating fresh homegrown fish from your farm, just as much as you would enjoy them yourself.

How to get started

To start your indoor fish farm, you will need some space indoors. Decide what size fish tanks will fit in your space and what type of fish you want.

Types of fish you could raise indoors

You have a wide variety to choose from. The types of fish you can raise in your tank will depend on your tank size and available space you have. It also depends on the demand for fish and price that you can sell them at.

The top 6 species of fish for indoor aquaculture

• Tilapia
• Trout
• Carp
• Catfish
• Koi
• Largemouth Bass

When choosing your fish, consider their feed to growth ratio. Some of the fish like tilapia and catfish can grow very fast, have great feed to fish ratio, and are resilient and resistant to common parasites. Some types of fish like the bass may be difficult to feed because they tend to eat other smaller fish. Also keep in mind that buying some type of fry (baby fish) may be cheaper, so keep the cost of fish and their feed in mind when purchasing them.

What you will need

You will need to get a good size fish tank or aquarium. It could be any type of container. You don’t want to overcrowd your fish in your tank or buy too much equipment at first. A tub sized tank is a good starting point for indoor fish farming.

You will need to be able to control your room temperature and light. You will need an air pump to oxygenate your water. Additionally plants can be good to keep a natural environment and a steady supply of oxygen in your fish tank. Keep in mind some fish will eat algae and other plants from your fish tank. You will also need to filter your water to keep it clean.

Aquaponic system

Another sustainable method of indoor fish farming is to build an aquaponic system, where you grow your plants and fish together. You are able to use water from your fish tank to feed your plants. The water can be circulated through the plants to filter it out. This system can double your profit because you are growing multiple crops at the same time. It saves you space, time, and energy, reduces waste, and gives you more profit.

Get fries or fingerlings to start your farm, but remember that fries will take longer to grow into adults and so, it will also take longer for them to produce adequate nitrate levels for your plants to absorb. Fingerlings can grow faster and produce more waste which your plants will feed on, but they can be a bit more expensive.

Harvesting & marketing

Monitor and watch your fish grow into marketable size. Pick the right size fish for selling. You have worked hard to raise your fish in a sustainable manner, so you  need to get the word out. Focus on home raised organic methods, when marketing  your fish.

You could easily use some free methods of marketing, such as road corner signs, advertisements on your local grocery store bulletin boards, or using social media platforms. Be sure to research the rules and regulations in your region regarding food safety and sales.

Hope you found these tips helpful. There is nothing really complicated about starting a home-based fish farm, indoors or outdoors. Want to learn more about aquaponic system? We can help. Please contact our office at 303-495-3705 or Click Here to book a meeting with us.

We’d really appreciate your comments on this blog. Please leave your comments below in the comment box below or visit our Facebook page to leave your comments. Thanks for visiting us, see you on our next blog!

Source: WorldWide Aquaculture

Related articles and resources:

• Freshwater Shrimp Farming – How to Start Your Own Shrimp Farm | WorldWide Aquaculture
• Start an Indoor Fish Farming Business from Home | WorldWide Aquaculture
• Backyard Fish Farming – Raise Fish In Your Home Pond | WorldWide Aquaculture
• Could Indoor Fish Farming be the Future of Aquaculture? | WorldWide Aquaculture
• Do You Practice Responsible Aquaculture? | WorldWide Aquaculture
• How You can Build an Integrated Aquaponic System | WorldWide Aquaculture
• Marketing Strategies for Your Aquaculture & Shrimp Farm | WorldWide Aquaculture