How to optimize each life stage of fish
In aquaculture, every growth stage of a fish’s life presents its own opportunities and challenges. From the sensitive fry and fingerling phase to the final finisher stage, understanding what each stage requires is essential for achieving healthy growth, high survival rates and strong farm performance.
At De Heus, we’ve translated scientific understanding and practical field knowledge into clear, life stages‑based insights for fish farmers. With our interactive life stages wheel, you can now explore stage‑specific guidance, performance indicators and tailored recommendations to support your production goals.
Building strong performance from hatching to harvest
The journey for fish farming begins in the fry and fingerling stage: a phase typically managed in the hatchery, where fish are most vulnerable and biosecurity plays a critical role. As fish progress through the starter, grower, and finisher stages, their nutritional needs, feeding strategies and environmental sensitivities evolve rapidly. Farmers aim to reach a specific harvest weight depending on market demand, economics and species. To achieve optimal profitability, three performance indicators are key:
• Feed conversion efficiency
• Survival rates
• Overall production output
Each of these can be significantly influenced by the decisions made at every life stage. Our growth phase specific content helps farmers identify risks, understand biological priorities and take targeted actions to support predictable growth and reliable outcomes.
Explore the life cycle stages of fish
Stage 1: Fry & Fingerling
Stage 2: Starter
Stage 3: Grower
Stage 4: Finisher
Stage 5: Broodstock
