Introduction
Our sinking fish feed production line is designed to produce high-density, high water stability pellets for shrimp and bottom-dwelling species. Farmers can achieve 12-24 hours of water stability and significantly improve Feed Conversion Ratios (FCR) with utilizing precision pelleting technology.
Brief Specification of Sinking Fish Feed Line
- Capacity Range: 100 kg/h to 10 t/h.
- Target Species: Shrimp, Prawns, Catfish, Carp, Sturgeon.
- Final Pellet Size: 1.0mm – 8.0mm (Customizable).
- Core Equipment: Hammer Mill, Mixer, Conditioning System, Ring Die Pellet Mill.
Delivering Nutrition to the Bottom: Why Choose Sinking Feed?
Sinking fish feed production process is maily used to produce a dense pellet that sinks quickly and stays intact. This ensures bottom-feeding fish have enough time to consume the feed before it dissolves, and to protect the aquatic environment from nutrient leaching and pollution.
Sinking Fish Feed Production Process: A Step-by-Step Engineering Flow
Step 1: Formulation and Raw Material Quality Control
You need a precise sinking fish feed formulation at first to startup. Check all raw materials like fishmeal, soybean meal, corn meal, bone meal etc. for protein density and moisture content to ensure they meet the nutritional needs of your specific aquatic species.
Step 2: Grinding to Micro-Fineness
Grind all dry ingredients with a fish feed grinder machine. For sinking shrimp feed, raw materials must reach 80-100 mesh to create a dense, tightly packed pellet that resists dissolving.
Step 3: Precise Mixing and Additive Blending
Blend ground powder mixtures with vitamins and binders in a high-efficiency fish feed mixer. This ensures every single pellet contains a balanced nutritional matrix and consistent mineral distribution.
Step 4: Steam Conditioning (The Secret to Water Stability)
Feeding the powder mixture into aa conditioner where the heating temperature is at 85°C – 95°C, this process is essential for making tough pellets including starch gelatinization and activating binders, which will not fall apart in the water
Step 5: Pelleting via High-Pressure Compression
The warm mash is fed into a ring die fish feed pellet mill. Unlike an extruder, the pellet mill uses heavy compression without trapping air, resulting in high-density pellets (Density > 1.0 g/cm³) that sink instantly.
Step 6: Drying and Cooling for Bio-Security
fresh pellets are moved to a multi-layer dryer to reduce moisture content to below 12%. Afterwards, they enter a counter-flow cooler to harden and stabilize for long-term storage.
Step 7: Sifting and Precision Packing
Finished pellets are sifted to remove dust and fines (controlled within 1%). A packing machine then seals the high-quality commercial aquafeed into moisture-proof bags.
Simple Sinking Fish Feed Formulation and Nutritional Matrix
| Ingredient | Source | Role in Nutrition |
| Proteins (35-45%) | Fishmeal, soybean meal | Growth & muscle development |
| Fats (5-15%) | Fish oil, soybean oil | Energy & cell function |
| Binders | Wheat gluten, starch | Water stability (12-24H) |
| Minerals | Calcium, phosphorus | Skeletal health for shrimp/sturgeon |
Key Factors for 12-24H Water Stability
To produce high-quality sinking aquafeed, pay attention to these engineering parameters:
- Fine Grind: A finer powder creates a more durable and water-stable pellet.
- Binder Activation: Use wheat gluten or starch combined with proper steam conditioning.
- Compression Ratio: Choose a ring die with the correct compression ratio (e.g., 1:10 to 1:13) to ensure maximum pellet density.
