Last Updated on September 8, 2024 by Sara Rose
Trout is a common fish found in many aquaponics systems. This guide will tell you all you need to know about how fast do trout grow and details on raising trout.
In many places in the United States, Trout is one of the most popular fish species raised on farms. There is a reason for this- trouts are low maintenance, fast-growing, easy to produce offspring, and delicious.
There are many different types of trout but in this article, we will focus on the general trout family and rainbow trout.
Table of Contents
Raising Trout
Trout is native to freshwater bodies all around North America. However, nowadays trout is being farmed around the world. They are resilient creatures and can live in many types of environments.
They are part of the Salmonidae Family which contains 206 species. Some of the most popular types of this fish are Rainbow Trout, brook trout, and brown trout.
On average, an adult trout is between 1-2kg and can live for about 8 years! This depends on the variety. Rainbow trout are larger, around 2-3 kilograms. Despite the average weight, many trouts can reach up to 50 or more Kilos!!
Trouts can survive in the broad temperature range of 0c to 27c. Although they can live in these temperatures, the optimum temperature females can reproduce is between 9C – 14C.
They like clean, colder waters free from pollutants. This type of water can be found in lakes, streams, and ponds all around North America.
Trout are not picky eaters. In fact, they are known to be aggressive, taking what they can get at any opportunity. Common foods for them are aquatic insects such as dragonflies or leeches, mosquito larvae, and crustaceans like water snails or freshwater shrimp.
They have teeth on the top of their mouth, making it easy to digest their food.
Learn more about What Are Mosquito Dunks? Find Out Now!
How Fast Do Trout Grow?
Trout are some of the fastest-growing fish that humans are able to farm. This makes them an excellent choice for large-scale aquaponic systems.
On average, females can carry around 2,000 eggs per KG of weight. So if the female was 2kgs, it can carry 4,000 eggs.
It is quite common for almost all eggs to hatch. However, 90% of the eggs die off within the first year.
They usually will reproduce one time per mating season which lasts from January to May. According to the USDA, trouts grow most during the spring and summer months. In their natural environment, they will grow one inch per month on average.
Adult trout are able to reproduce by age 2 or 3. However if you are hand feeding them, it is possible to increase this speed.
An “adult” fish is considered to be 7 inches or longer. From birth, it can take between 12-14 months to reach this size.
It is important to note that the speed at which trout grow depends on two main factors. First, the temperature of the water, and second, how much food is available in that stream. That is why we see different levels of trout growth in different bodies of water.
If you are raising trout in a tank it is easier to create the perfect conditions for fastest growth and higher reproductive success. One example is making sure there are plenty of rocks and coves for baby trout to relax in because they like to hide.
Compared to other fish, trouts are particularly sensitive to extreme environmental changes.
If you want to ensure speedy growth and success to maturity, try to keep the water quality high, a consistent temperature, and a consistent habitat.
Now let’s go into more detail about the rainbow trout.
How Fast Do Rainbow Trout Grow?
Rainbow Trout usually lay their eggs in the spring, which is different from brown trout which spawn during the fall. The optimum water temperature for spawning and growing for rainbow trout is between 12C – 20C.
Their eggs hatch between 3- 12 weeks of being laid. A 3-year-old Rainbow trout can range from 0.85 pounds to 5.5 pounds! As you can see, the conditions in which they are being raised will heavily impact the growth rate.
How Long Do Rainbow Trout Live?
The length that rainbow trout live depends on the quality of water. This is why we can see a huge lifespan difference between fish. One of the oldest trouts to be discovered was around 11 years old. But, on average an adult fish lives 3-5 years.
They are a very resilient species, which makes them ideal for raising. In fact, in some places, this fish is considered more of an invasive species. As long as you give them plenty of food sources and keep your water clean, they have a high chance of surviving.
Keep in mind that rainbow trouts are carnivorous, meaning they eat “meat” sources like dead fish, fish eggs, crustaceans, and even things like dead mice.
In conclusion, whether you are working with rainbow trout or other varieties, you now should have a good grasp on how fast trout grow. Once you have a good pond established, growth should be consistent. They are fast-growing species compared to other fish!
So if you want something that you can have on your plate within 9- 13 months, trout would be a great choice. Keep a consistent habitat for them and they will be happy. Based on all these factors, we highly recommend trying your hand with trout in your aquaponics system.
Be sure to do the research on the specific trout variety you will raise. Other than that, have a great time working with this wonderful fish!
Feel free to comment and ask questions below.
