Asian Sea Bass (Barramundi) Aquafeed – A Strategic Species for Sustainable Marine Farming
Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer), globally known as Barramundi, is one of the most promising species for the expansion of marine and brackish water aquaculture. With exceptionally high market value, rapid growth rate, and impressive adaptability to various salinity levels, this species has become a preferred choice for intensive and semi-intensive farming systems.
Barramundi produces a premium-quality fillet with firm texture and excellent taste, making it highly demanded in seafood markets and export industries. Beyond its market advantages, this species demonstrates:
- High feed efficiency
- Fast growth to market size
- Strong adaptability to cage culture and pond systems
Because of these characteristics, Barramundi is increasingly recognized as a key species in the future of sustainable aquaculture.
Nutritional Requirements & Challenges in Barramundi Feeding
Nutritional Requirements of Barramundi
Barramundi is a strictly carnivorous species, requiring a diet rich in high-quality protein and marine-based lipid sources to support rapid growth and efficient muscle development. The nutritional profile of Barramundi feed typically includes:
- High crude protein (42–52%)
- Marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA)
- Balanced digestible energy-to-protein ratio
- Essential amino acids for muscle development
- Bioavailable minerals and phosphorus for bone health
Due to its fast growth rate and high metabolic demand, Barramundi utilizes protein not only for tissue development but also as an energy source. Therefore, the formulation of a diet with optimized protein sparing through lipids and energy balance is essential to improve feed conversion ratio (FCR).
Industry Challenges in Barramundi Production
Despite the economic potential of Barramundi farming, several challenges restrict expansion—particularly in emerging aquaculture markets:
- Limited supply of high-quality fingerlings
- High dependency on imported fishmeal-based feed
- Rising cost of marine raw materials
- Lack of specialized feed tailored to salinity and temperature variations
In many countries, including Iran, feed cost accounts for over 60% of total production expenses. Therefore, developing nutritionally balanced and cost-effective feed is crucial for sustainable growth of the industry.
The Key to Success: Specialized Feed for Each Growth Stage
To achieve maximum performance, Barramundi requires:
Broodstock diets enriched with essential fatty acids (EPA/DHA) to improve reproductive efficiency
Nursery and pre-grow feeds with semi-floating behavior for better feed monitoring
Grow-out feeds with optimized protein-to-energy balance to reduce FCR
Using extrusion technology to produce semi-floating (semi-float) pellets ensures controlled feeding behavior, minimizes feed loss, and improves water quality—resulting in better growth and economic performance.
Extrusion Technology and the Advantages of Extruded Feed
Why Extruded Feed Matters in Marine Fish Nutrition
Modern aquafeed production relies on extrusion technology, which enables precise control over starch gelatinization, lipid incorporation, and pellet durability. Compared to traditional pelleted feed, extruded feed offers several advantages:
| Traditional Pellets | Extruded Pellets (L.lion Feed) |
| Low water stability | High water stability |
| Sinks quickly — hard to monitor feeding behavior | Semi-floating — optimal feeding observation |
| Lower digestibility | Higher digestibility due to better starch gelatinization |
| Higher feed waste & higher FCR | Reduced feed waste, improved FCR |
Extrusion allows better encapsulation of lipids and nutrients, ensuring they remain stable and bioavailable during digestion.
Semi-Floating (Semi-Float) Feed — A Key Advantage for Barramundi Farming
Barramundi is an active feeder, especially at early life stages. For this reason, semi-floating pellets are considered ideal during nursery and pre-grow phases.
✔ Pellets remain suspended long enough for the fish to capture them
✔ Farmers can visually monitor feeding behavior
✔ Reduced bottom waste → improved water quality
✔ Lower energy cost for aeration and filtration
Sinking feed is especially beneficial in:
- Pond culture (earthen and concrete ponds)
- Cage farming systems
- Biofloc or RAS/Nursery systems
- Impact on FCR, Growth, and Feed Economics
Using Sinking extruded feed improves:
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- Growth rate and biomass gain
- Dissolved oxygen levels
- Profit margins per production cycle
By reducing feed waste and improving nutrient absorption, semi-floating feed significantly decreases production cost per kilogram of fish.
In commercial farms, extrusion technology can reduce feed cost by 8–12% per ton of produced biomass.
Extruded Feed Formulated for Barramundi
High-Performance Extruded Aquafeed for Asian Sea Bass
The feed must be specifically developed to meet the nutritional and physiological requirements of Barramundi (Asian sea bass) in all farming systems — including ponds, concrete tanks, and sea cages.
Using advanced extrusion technology and a carefully balanced nutrient profile, feed produced using extrusion technology delivers:
- Maximum growth and feed efficiency
- Improved gut health and immune performance
- Superior water stability and digestibility
- Key Performance Advantages of L.lion Feed
| Performance Indicator | Benefit for Farmers |
| Maximum growth rate and economic return | Faster harvest cycle → Higher profitability |
| Improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) | Less feed required per kg of biomass |
| Balanced energy-to-protein ratio | Reduces protein catabolism → Better muscle growth |
| Semi-floating behavior (during early stages) | Reduced feed waste and better feed monitoring |
| Floating pellets in grow-out and broodstock | Higher feeding efficiency in cages and ponds |
| Source of essential amino acids | Supports muscle development and tissue repair |
| Rich in EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acids | Enhances reproductive performance and larval quality |
| High-quality, digestible raw materials | Better absorption → Cleaner water quality |
| Bioactive peptides included | Boosts immunity, gut morphology, and antioxidant capacity |
Formulated for Every Growth Stage
Asian Sea Bass feed is available in different pellet sizes and nutritional profiles tailored for:
- Starter (larvae & nursery)
- Pre-grow
- Grow-out
- Broodstock (reproductive stage)
Each formulation is optimized based on:
- Water temperature
- Salinity (marine or brackish)
- Growth phase and metabolic demand
- Bioactive Peptides – The Advanced Nutrition Edge
Asian Sea Bass includes bioactive peptides with proven benefits:
✔ Enhances gut microvilli length → better nutrient absorption
✔ Reduces oxidative stress → supports immune system
✔ Improves feed utilization → lower FCR
This unique formulation makes Asian Sea Bass feed not just a feed, but a performance-enhancing nutritional solution.
Technical Specifications & Nutritional Profile of L.lion Feed
Chemical Composition (%) and Physical Specifications
L.lion extruded feed is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of Barramundi across different life stages. The feed is available in semi-floating and floating forms depending on developmental phase and culture system.
Physical Characteristics and Approximate Analysis of L.lion Asian Sea Bass Feed
| Chemical composition % | Starter | Pre-Grow | Grow-Out | Broodstock | ||||||
| SFB00 | SFB0 | SFB1 | FFB1 | FFB2 | GFB1 | GFB2 | GFB3 | GFB4 | BFB | |
| Crude Energy (MJ/kg) | 20.1 | 19.9 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 18.9 | 18.8 | 18.8 | 18.7 | 19.6 |
| Crude Protein (%) | 55 | 54 | 53 | 50 | 48 | 46 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 45 |
| Crude Fat (%) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 |
| Crude Fiber (%) | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 4 |
| Ash (%) | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Moisture (%) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Available Phosphorus (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pellet Size (mm) | 0.3-0.5 | 0.6-0.9 | 0.9-1.5 | 1.8-2.2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Fish Weight (g) | ≤0.5 | 0.5-2 | 2-8 | 8-20 | 20-100 | 100-400 | 400-700 | 700-1000 | ≥1000 | ≥1000 |
| Daily Feeding Rate (% of Body Weight) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Pellet Behavior | Sinking | Sinking | Sinking | Floating | Floating | Floating | Floating | Floating | Floating | Floating |
Daily Feeding Rate (% of Body Weight) Adjusted by water temperature and fish weight
| Water temperature
Fish Weight (g) |
≤22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | ≥32 |
| 10-50 | Feeding based on tail end | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.9 | Feeding based on tail end |
| 50-100 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.6 | ||
| 100-200 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.7 | ||
| 200-400 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2 | 2.2 | ||
| 400-600 | 0.95 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 | ||
| 600-800 | 0.85 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | ||
| 800-1000 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.85 | 0.9 | 0.95 | 0.98 | ||
| 1000-1500 | 0.65 | 0.73 | 0.75 | 0.78 | 0.79 | 0.8 |
How to Use L.lion Asian Sea Bass Feed for Maximum Growth Efficiency
Use sinking pellets during nursery and pre-grow to improve feed intake and reduce waste.
Switch to floating pellets during grow-out for optimized feed observation and better FCR.
Adjust feeding rate based on temperature and fish activity.
Balanced nutrition + controlled pellet buoyancy = better FCR and higher profitability.
Sustainable Barramundi farming requires more than just suitable environmental conditions — it depends on a nutritionally optimized diet that supports rapid growth, enhances feed conversion efficiency, and maintains fish health.
L.lion extruded feed provides all of these advantages through:
- A balanced protein-to-energy ratio
- High levels of essential fatty acids (EPA/DHA)
- Precision extrusion technology with semi-floating and floating pellet options
- Inclusion of bioactive peptides to enhance gut health and immune function
By reducing feed waste and improving digestibility, L.lion Asian Sea Bass helps producers achieve higher biomass output with lower feed cost — resulting in maximum economic return per production cycle.
Why Choose L.lion feed for Your Barramundi Farm?
✔ Faster growth
✔ Better FCR and economic efficiency
✔ Tailored nutrition for all growth phases
✔ Suitable for ponds, tanks, and cages
L.lion feed is not just a diet — it is a performance-enhancing nutritional solution designed for modern aquaculture.
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