Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Show off your catch Omega 3 in fresh water fish????

As Roger already identified, different fish oils and fish meals bring in different fatty acid profiles. Although "fish meal" or "fish oil" is almost always listed on a feed tag...there are hundreds if not thousands of types and grades of fish meals and oils, and they are most definitely NOT all created equal. For example, carp meals, sardine meals, and menhaden meals are all very different even if they are all labeled "fish meal" on a feed tag.

In most aquaculture applications, the primary driver for omega fatty acids in the fish fillet comes from the feeds. Generally, the higher level of omega 3 (DHA) in the feed translates to a higher level of omega 3 in the fish. However, different species of fish have variable abilities to take up or concentrate omega 3s. For example, fatty fish like salmon or tuna usually have a much higher level of omega 3s. In the wild, these fish eat other fish which primarily feed on things like microalgae which have high omega 3 levels. In aquaculture, these fats come from the feeds that are fed on the farm.

If you were to take those same feeds that produce high omega 3 salmon and feed them to say tilapia or catfish, you would not get an equivalent return in the fillet. This is why you rarely see "high omega 3" versions of many of the more traditional pond fish. Regardless of food source levels, they just don't concentrate it as much. I would imagine bluegill if given plenty of DHA in their diets would fall somewhere in the middle of salmon and tilapia.

The reason that fish oils (or just eating more fish) is recommended for people is that they generally have higher levels of omega 3. DHA is very important for brain function, a lot of our brain (~20%) is actually made up of DHA!

Keep safe everyone!

Dustin