Identifying Fish Digestion and Feeding

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Identifying Fish Digestion and Feeding
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Identifying Fish Digestion and Feeding

• Make a list of what you have eaten in the last 24
  hours.
• Where did you eat those foods at?
• How was the food served?
• How is the body able to digest and utilize the
  food you consumed?

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Terms

• Anus
• Auger feeding system
• Automated feeding systems
• Blowers
• Branchiospines
• Carnivores

• Demand feeders
• Esophagus
• Hand feeding
• Intestines
• Mouth
• Prepared feed
• Stomach

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Objectives

• Describe the fish digestive system.
• Describe the common methods of feeding fish.
• Understand how to interpret a feed label.

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What are the parts of the fish digestive system?

• The digestive system is similar to other animals.
• Size and shape of each component of the system
  will vary with the type of fish and its diet.
• Carnivores
• Fish that eats meat.
• Have a large stomach and short intestines.

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What are the parts of the fish digestive system?

• Parts include
• Mouth
• Teeth
• Tongue
• Branchiospines
• Esophagus
• Stomach
• Intestines
• Anus

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What are the parts of the fish digestive system?

• Mouth
• Entry point of system.
• Carnivores mouth
• Have many teeth that point inwards.
• Not used for chewing.
• Used to capture and hold prey.
• Other fish
• Few or no teeth.

www.vrmlsite.com/dec96/spot5.html
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What are the parts of the fish digestive system?

• Tongue
• Helps move food around in the mouth.
• Branchiospines
• Act as filters to capture small food from water
  as the fish swims.
• Part of the gill structure that helps fish swim.
• Esophagus
• Short tube that connects mouth to stomach.

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What are the parts of the fish digestive system?

• Stomach
• Organ where digestion begins.
• Some stomachs will expand greatly.
• Allows them to eat large quantities of food.
• Other stomachs are small that will accommodate
  small amounts of food.
• Some fish have almost no stomach.
• Esophagus connects directly to intestines.

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What are the parts of the fish digestive system?

• Intestines
• Site of food digestion and nutrient absorption.
• Anus
• Exterior opening of system.
• Unused food and wasted material is exited.

www.mariner.org/library.html
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common methods of feeding fish
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What are some common methods of feeding fish?

• Feeding fish is very important.
• Provide the appropriate nutrition.
• Opportunity to observe fish for any abnormal
  signs.
• Feeding systems differ based on size of the
  operation.
• Small operations
• Large operations

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What are some common methods of feeding fish?

• Small Operations
• Hand feeding
• Feed is distributed by hand, shovels, or other
  non-automated means.
• Most common method.
• Used for feeds not suited for automated systems.
• Meat scraps are hand fed.

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What are some common methods of feeding fish?

• Large Operations
• Automated feeding systems
• Utilize machinery to distribute the feed.
• From relatively simple to very complicated,
  computer-controlled.
• Blowers
• Demand feeders
• Auger feeding systems

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What are some common methods of feeding fish?

• Blowers
• Drive along the side of the pond and blow feed
  out into the pond.
• Attached to trucks or tractors.
• Common in levee pond and watershed pond
  operations.

www.sweeneyfeeders.com/aquaculture.htm
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What are some common methods of feeding fish?

• Demand feeders
• Allow fish to bump a rod and release feed when
  they are hungry.
• Used in raceways.
• Fish must be trained how to use them.

www.missourifishfarms.com/.../automatic_feeders.h
tm
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What are some common methods of feeding fish?

• Auger feeding
• Similar to systems used by swine and poultry
  farmers.
• Feed stored in large tanks
• Moved by augers that drop feed in pond
• Common in tanks and raceways

www.ars-grin.gov/ars/PacWest/Aberdeen/overturf.ht
m
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feed labels
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What does a feed label tells us?

• Fish farming utilizes prepared feeds.
• A feed that is produced by a feed mill and then
  sold in bags or bulk.
• Required to have a label.

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What does a feed label tells us?

• Net weight
• Product name
• Brand name
• Guaranteed analysis
• Drug additives

www.ag.ohio-state.edu/4hansc/2000minumumteaching
requirenmen...
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What must the guaranteed analysis section contain?

• Minimum of crude protein
• Maximum minimum of protein from non-protein
  nitrogen
• Minimum of crude fat
• Maximum of crude fiber

• Minimum and maximum of salt and calcium
• Minimum of phosphorus
• Other minerals
• Vitamin content

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What must be included on label if feed has drugs
in it?

• The word medicated
• Purpose of medication must be stated.
• Directions and precautions for medication.
• Listing of all active drug ingredients.

www.gardenponds.com/fish.htm
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Review / Summary

• What are the parts of the fish digestive system?
• What are some common methods of feeding fish?
• What does a fish label tell us?