Sinking Fish Feed Machine
Sinking Fish Feed Machines skillfully utilize conditioning and extrusion technology to produce high-quality, nutritionally complete, and palatable sinking-water fish feed from various raw material formulations.
Sinking fish feed has a wide range of applications. Our Indonesian customers also use it to produce high-quality shrimp feed. The resulting pellets sink quickly and do not disintegrate even after 10 hours.
What is a Sinking Fish Feed Machine?
— Richi Machinery —
brief introduction
Unlike floating feed, Sinking Fish Feed Machines compress raw materials at high temperatures, ultimately forming dense pellets. When dropped into water, these pellets sink quickly and remain stable for extended periods. These pellets better aid in the digestion and feeding of bottom-dwelling fish, shrimp, and crabs.
If you’re looking for a feed pellet machine that can adapt to various scenarios, then this multi-functional sinking feed making machine is perfect for you. Besides producing aquatic feed, it can also be used to produce various livestock feeds. You can even use it to produce mixed feeds. For example, we previously customized a 10T/H aquaculture and livestock combined production line for an Algerian client, truly achieving low investment and high returns.
Tell us your needs, and we believe our experience and expertise can provide customized solutions and worry-free service for your project.
Usage: Carp, grass carp, crucian carp, catfish, tilapia, etc.
Raw materials: rice bran, soybean cake, silkworm pupa powder, bran, fish meal, barley flour, corn flour, vitamins, bone meal, etc
1-40
Production（tons/hour）
0.6-12
Particle size（mm）
Application of the sinking fish feed machine
— Richi Machinery —
Different sinking fish have varying mouth sizes. Therefore, when using a sinking fish feed machine to produce feed, you need to understand the appropriate feed pellet size for different fish species. If the feed pellets are the wrong size, it will hinder their feeding. If the pellets are too large, the fish won’t finish them at once, leading to waste and water pollution after dissolving. If the pellets are too small, the fish will need to be fed more frequently, increasing their energy expenditure and hindering their growth. Recommended feed pellet sizes for different stages of fish growth for your reference.
- Fry starter feed: 0.4–0.8 mm
- Small fry: 1.0–1.5 mm
- Fingerling stage: 2.0–3.0 mm
- Pre-adult fish: 3.0–4.0 mm
- Marketable adult fish: 4.0–6.0 mm
- Large bottom fish: 6.0–8.0 mm
Trouts
Atlantic salmon
Catfish
shrimp
lobster
crab
However, if you are looking for feed pellets with a finer millimeter diameter, the raw materials themselves need to be finer, which you can process using our crusher.
Sinking fish feed machine for fish feed formulation
How can the generated pellets achieve the effect of sinking upon contact with water without disintegrating? This requires not only a high-performance feed pellet mill but also a scientifically sound and reasonable raw material formulation. Meeting both requirements helps fish grow and reproduce healthily, maximizing aquaculture profits.
Protein raw materials
Protein is the main source of amino acids for fish, which can better enhance their immunity and reduce the occurrence of diseases. At the same time, the protein denatures synchronously when heated to high temperatures, resulting in compact and uniform particles that sink quickly in water.
- Animal protein: Fish meal, shrimp meal, crab meal, meat and bone meal, etc.
- plant protein: Soybean meal, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, etc.
- content: High-protein formulas can reach 38%-45%. Protein water content is 28%-32%, which is more cost-effective, but it is important to control the specific gravity of lightweight materials to ensure that the particles can sink.
Energy raw materials
Bottom-dwelling fish generally have a wide range of activity, while mid- and upper-level fish have a more pronounced energy requirement. Starch-rich raw materials like grains can provide fish with an ample energy source. Especially during the pelleting process in a sinking fish feed machine, the gelatinized starch inside the raw material acts as a binder for the pellets, helping them stabilize in the water.
- Energy raw materials: Corn, bran, wheat, broken rice, etc.
- Formula content: 30%-40%
Functional premixes
Many fish cannot obtain the nutrients they need directly from their food sources, thus often requiring external nutritional supplements. This is especially true for bottom-dwelling fish, whose vision and immunity are affected by the darkness they live in. Functional ingredients provide them with sufficient anti-stress factors to ensure normal growth and feeding. However, in pelleting, precise temperature control is crucial to ensure even distribution of nutrients within the feed pellets.
- Mainly: Vitamins, minerals, yeast powder, probiotics, etc.
- content: 3%-5%
Advantages of sinking fish feed pellets
In the past, natural bait and agricultural products were commonly used to feed sinking fish, but this method was not only nutritionally unbalanced but also often wasteful and polluted the water. Now, fish feed pellets produced by sinking fish feed machines effectively solve these problems, helping fish grow healthily.
More hygienic
Before entering the pellet mill, the raw materials pass through three layers of conditioners. The high-temperature steam inside effectively kills all bacteria, making the farmed fish less prone to disease and resulting in a higher survival rate.
Reduce mold growth
During the granulation process, the moisture content gradually drops below 12% after drying and cooling. This eliminates the space for mold growth and reproduction, effectively extending the shelf life.
Reduce feed waste
Fish like to nibble on their food. If the food is loose, it will scatter as soon as the fish nudge it, resulting in waste and water pollution. However, fish food pellets are high-pressure compacted, making them denser and easier for fish to bite, resulting in cleaner consumption.
Good water resistance
The feed produced by thesinking fish feed machinel can remain in the water for more than 24 hours. This gives the fish ample time to feed. Even if there is a small amount of residue, because the feed pellets themselves are mature organic matter, the aquatic microorganisms will naturally decompose it, preventing long-term water pollution.
Better digestion
The three-layer conditioner not only thoroughly sterilizes the food but also softens and breaks down the raw materials. This perfectly suits the physiological characteristics of fish, which have short intestines. Therefore, fish can digest the food quickly after ingestion, reducing the burden on their intestines.
Flexible customization
Feed pellets can be flexibly customized according to the species being farmed and the stage of growth. Sinking Fish feed pellet machines have interchangeable die holes ranging from 1 to 12 mm. Even finer pellets are needed for fish fry, which can be further produced by crushing the pellets after they have been made into pellets.
Technical Features and Advantages of the Sinking Fish Feed Machine
Flexible Adjustment-Meeting Diverse Needs
- The feeder of the sinking fish pellet mill can adjust its speed according to the characteristics of the raw materials, ensuring smooth operation and reducing material waste.
- When producing fish feed, the equipment can adjust different compression ratios. The higher the compression ratio, the more stable the pellets are in the water.
- The die holes for the ring die can be customized to produce particles of different sizes.
- The particle length can also be adjusted, generally from 1:1.5 to 1:2 of the diameter, simply by changing the distance between the cutter and the ring die.
Durability-Reduced Wear and Trace Costs
- Stainless steel tempering equipment can resist the wear and corrosion of raw materials, extending the equipment’s lifespan.
- The ring die and pressure roller are made of 42CrMo alloy steel because they frequently rub against the raw material. This reduces the need for frequent replacements, thus lowering costs.
Efficient and Stable – Ensuring Smooth Production
- Siemens motors are highly efficient and energy-saving; fish feed typically uses 6P or 8P motors. Reducing speed and increasing pressure creates more compact pellets.
- The entire frame of the sinking fish feed machine is thickened, so it will not shift even if it runs for 24 hours.
- The transmission system adopts high-precision gear grinding technology, slippage and makes power transportation smoother compared with belt transmission.
Protection and safeguards – making production safer
- The sinking fish feed making machine has a safety protection device. To prevent overload during production, the safety pin will automatically break, cutting off power to the main unit and ensuring safety.
- The optimal mixing temperature for fish feed is between 90- 110 degrees Celsius. The sinking fish feed pellet mill uses a temperature gauge to continuously monitor the temperature, allowing operators to easily adjust steam volume and mixing time to ensure proper pelleting.
Price and specifications of the sinking fish feed machine
The price of a sinking fish feed machine typically ranges from $10,000 to $100,000. Prices may vary depending on the configuration. Customization options include machine color, die size, and output requirements to meet your specific needs. For small farms or feed processing plants, our compact models offer stable production at lower costs. For large-scale production, larger fish feed pellet mills better meet the demands of continuous and stable production.
Below are the specific parameters for different models of sinking fish feed pellet mills. Alternatively, you can provide your basic information, and we will provide you with a more detailed production plan and quote.
| sinking fish feed making machine | ||||||||
| Model | SZLH250 | SZLH320 | SZLH350 | SZLH420 | SZLH508 | SZLH558 | SZLH678 | SZLH768 |
| Main Motor Power (kW) | 22 | 37 | 55 | 110 | 160 | 185 | 250 | 315 |
| Feeder Power (kW) | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.2 |
| Modulator Power (kW) | 1.5 | 4 | 4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Die Inner Diameter (mm) | 250 | 320 | 350 | 420 | 508 | 558 | 673 | 762 |
| Finished Pellet Diameter (mm) | 2~12 | |||||||
| Output (T/H) | 1.0-1.5 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 10-12 | 15-16 | 20-22 | 30-33 | 38-40 |
Besides ring die fish feed mills, you can also use floating fish feed extruder machines to produce sinking fish feed. However, compared to extruders, fish feed pellet machines have lower energy consumption and higher capacity, making them more suitable for commercial feed processing that prioritizes output.
Case Study of Sinking Fish Feed Machines
— Richi Machinery —
RICHI Machinery’s sinking fish feed machines have been deployed and are operating in over 140 countries worldwide. Furthermore, they provide diversified solutions for different types of fish feed processing plants to meet varying production needs. Stable output and high-quality feed production have successfully supported the feed production development of over 2,000 clients.
UK 0.8-1.2 tons/hour Sinking Fish Feed Production Line
- Feed types: Salmon, trout
- Raw material: Fish meal, soybean meal, wheat bran, fish oil, premix
- Client Background and Needs: The client operates a small feed mill in the local area, primarily processing feed for livestock farmers in the surrounding region. Due to the small scale of production, the client wants a small, compact system with energy consumption kept within reasonable limits.
- Equipment: SZLH350 sinking fish making machine, grinder, Oven
- Particle diameter: 2-4mm
- Project energy consumption: 35.37 KW
1.5-2 ton/H sinking feed production line in Russia
- Project start time: July 16, 2019
- Feed types: Sturgeon, carp
- Raw material: White fish meal, krill meal, flaxseed cake
- Client Background and Needs: The client owns an aquaculture farm locally. In recent years, they have wanted to build a simple production line. Part of the feed produced will be used internally, and the remainder will be sold to surrounding aquaculture farms to increase revenue.
- Equipment: SZLH420 sinking fish feed pelletmachine, grinder, Rotary grading screen, cooler
- Particle diameter: 2–4mm
Indian 4-5 ton/H sinking fish feed production line
- Project start time: July 26, 2022
- Raw material: The formula will be changed according to the species being farmed.
- Feed types: Tilapia, basa fish, chicken, duck, and other poultry
- Equipment: SZLH420 sinking fish feed mill, Conditioner, Screening system
- Client Background: Medium-sized fish and poultry mixed farming farm
- characteristics: The mold openings can be easily changed to suit different farming types. It is well-suited for multi-species farming.
- Particle diameter:2-4mm aquatic feed, 2-6mm poultry feed
Norway’s 5-ton/hour intelligent sinking fish feed plant
- Client needs: The customer needs a production line for aquatic fish feed that can produce intelligently, reducing labor costs.
- Feed types: Salmon, cod, and many other types of cold-water fish
- Equipment: SZLH420 sinking fish feed machine, PLC system
- Client Background: Medium-sized fish and poultry mixed farming farm, Automatic Packaging Scale
- characteristics: The production line is equipped with an intelligent installation system that can track and monitor equipment problems during the granulation process and provide timely warnings of malfunctions, thus reducing production losses due to downtime.
- Particle diameter: 3-6mm
Real video of the sinking fish feed production line
Different production needs require different production line equipment and processes. The following video showcases the complete production line process and real-world project examples to help you understand the entire process of aquatic fish feed, from raw material processing to finished product packaging and transportation.
Automatic Fish Feed Production Line by RICHI
Sinking fish feed production process: Cleaning Section→Crushing Section→Mixed Section→Granulation section→Drying section→Cooling section→Screening section→Packaging Section
First, after the raw materials arrive, they undergo cleaning and crushing to achieve the ideal granulation specifications. Unlike ordinary poultry raw materials, which require drying, fish raw materials will not bind well if they are too dry and will easily disintegrate in water. Therefore, it is necessary to add moisture to bring the raw materials to the ideal moisture level, facilitating extrusion and granulation.
The processed raw materials enter the sinking fish feed machine. After being heated to increase the viscosity of the raw materials, the ring die and pressure rollers compress the materials into strips that pass through the die holes. Finally, a cutter cuts the raw materials into uniformly sized pellets.
We need to dry the produced granules because they still contain a certain amount of moisture after processing. If they remain too wet, they can easily develop mold during storage. After drying, we place the granules into a cooling chamber to cool and set. This step also helps increase the hardness of the granules.
Finally, the pellets can be weighed and packaged. We offer both automatic and manual packaging options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions. You can also contact us at any time for answers.
If I want to add some fish oil, should I do it before or after pelleting?
We recommend adding oil after granulation.
The oil content of the raw materials must be less than 8%. Excessive oil will coat the starch and protein in the raw materials, hindering gelatinization and resulting in loosely structured pellets that will not sink in water. More importantly, pelleting in sinking fish feed machines is done through extrusion. Oil contamination can cause the pressure rollers to fail to hold the raw materials, reducing feed yield.
After the pellets are formed, the oil is sprayed on, which only adheres to the surface of the pellets. This does not damage the internal structure of the pellets and forms an oil film on the surface of the feed pellets that does not easily disperse when exposed to water.
I run a small feed plan. If I only purchase a pellet mill, grinder, and mixer for sinking fish feed, will I be able to produce sinking fish feed?
Absolutely. The following four conditions are required to make sinking fish food.
- The raw materials need to be fine enough to be compressed more compactly. Generally, they need to be between 40-50 mesh. If you want to make high-end fish and shrimp feed, the fineness of the raw materials needs to be between 80-90 mesh.
- We must thoroughly mix the raw materials to ensure consistent quality in every pellet. We can achieve this by using a mixer. Furthermore, the paddles of the pellet mill also help improve mixing by continuously tossing and scattering the materials.
- Sinking fish feed pellets need sufficient pressure. You can adjust the ring die compression ratio; the higher the ratio, the greater the pressure, and the more compact the pellets produced. To make sinking feed, you can choose a ratio between 1:16 and 1:18.
- The raw materials should contain an appropriate amount of starch. When starch is conditioned and heated, it becomes a natural binder, allowing granules to stick together firmly and remain in water for extended periods.
Why Choose RICHI?
RICHI Machinery has over 30 years of experience in the design, production, and R&D of animal pellet machinery. Here, you can find not only professional equipment support but also customized solutions for the feed industry. If you have specific requirements, let us know your needs, and we look forward to working with you.
Excellent after-sales service
After the sinking fish feed machine arrives, we will carry out professional commissioning and acceptance. Our technicians will repeatedly commission the equipment in each production section to ensure the equipment operates up to standard. Additionally, if you are unfamiliar with our equipment, RICHI technicians will provide one-on-one on-site training until your team can operate the entire production line independently.
Customized design
RICHI has a dedicated R&D and design team to provide you with customized services. We offer over 200 products to meet all types of chicken feed production needs. In addition, we provide full-process design services, including site planning and equipment layout. Whether you are new to the feed industry or already operating a mature production line, just share your requirements with us, and we will deliver a tailored solution based on your actual situation.
High-quality equipment production
The sinking fish feed pellet machine for sale production stage is the core link of the entire project implementation. We own two modern intelligent manufacturing bases and operate a strict quality control system. Every piece of equipment meets international first-class standards. The company has passed BV certification, ISO9001 International Quality Management System Certification, European CE Certification, and Swiss SGS Certification, among others.
