5T/H Tilapia Pellet Making Machine in Brazil

Why They Chose a Single 5 t/h Tilapia Pellet Machine Instead of a Full Line

Unlike large feed factories that buy complete fish feed production lines from day one, this cooperative wanted something practical and scalable. They already owned a hammer mill for grinding maize and soybean meal, plus a horizontal ribbon mixer and a basic conveyor system. What they lacked was the core piece: a dedicated floating fish feed extruder able to handle 5 tons per hour during the peak feeding period.

By adding this tilapia pellet making machine in Brazil, the cooperative now controls pellet quality, density, floatability, and oil content — all critical for tilapia, which feed at the surface and prefer stable pellets that don’t disintegrate too quickly in warm water.

Selected Model and Technical Specs for Brazil’s Conditions

Given the cooperative’s target production and local infrastructure, the team chose the RICHI SPHS150×2 twin-screw fish feed extruder. It strikes the right balance between capacity, flexibility, and electrical demand, all manageable within the power limits of the rural site.

Model chosen for this project:

• Model: SPHS150×2
• Main Motor Power: 200 kW
• Screw Diameter: 150 mm
• Feeder Motor Power: 1.5 kW
• Conditioner Power: 11 kW (DC600-300)
• Differential Conditioner Power: 15 kW (DC600×500-300)
• Output Capacity: 5–6 t/h

This tilapia pellet making machine in Brazil provide enough throughput to meet the cooperative’s daily feeding needs while leaving capacity for surplus sales to neighboring farms when harvest peaks.

Local Ingredients for Sustainable Tilapia Feed

Brazil’s central and northern states are ideal for integrated aquaculture and agriculture. This cooperative’s feed formulation draws directly from regional crops, reducing costs and transportation emissions.

A typical recipe looks like this:

• Broken maize (45%): High-energy base, locally grown and milled.
• Soybean meal (25%): Protein-rich, supplied by nearby oilseed crushers.
• Rice bran (15%): Abundant byproduct from regional rice mills.
• Fishmeal (8%): Made from freshwater by-catch and processing scraps.
• Vegetable oil (5%): Mostly soybean or palm oil, boosts energy and pellet durability.
• Mineral/vitamin premix (2%): Ensures balanced growth and fish health.

By customizing moisture and cooking time, the tilapia pellet extruder ensures this blend cooks evenly, expands properly, and forms durable floating pellets suited to warm Brazilian ponds.

Not Just Tilapia: Other Species and Pet Feed Potential

While tilapia is the main target, the cooperative also plans to trial small runs for tambaqui (colossoma), which is popular in local ponds and rivers. The design of tilapia pellet making machine in Brazil makes it easier to adjust die heads and recipe parameters to match different pellet sizes and densities.

There’s also talk of producing simple extruded dog food for local sale. The cooperative sees this as a practical way to diversify income, especially during off-peak months when fish feed demand dips.

Solving Common Feed Challenges for Small and Medium Farms

Why is this single tilapia pellet making machine in Brazil such a big deal for this cooperative? Before installing their tilapia pellet making machine, they constantly faced:

• High feed costs: Markups from commercial suppliers cut deep into margins.
• Transport risks: Heavy rains made rural roads impassable, delaying feed delivery.
• Inconsistent pellet quality: Some batches arrived over-expanded or crumbling.
• Dependency on middlemen: Limited leverage to negotiate bulk rates.

Now, with the RICHI fish feed extruder, they can mill, mix, extrude, and store feed batches sized exactly to the farm’s cycles. There’s no waste, no panic ordering, and no overpriced intermediaries.

Why the Twin-Screw Configuration Was the Smart Choice

Colombia’s earlier example showed the benefit for small farms — Brazil’s larger cooperative context brings out even more advantages.

The twin-screw tilapia pellet making machine in Brazil ensures thorough cooking and gelation of the starches, which is vital when using maize and rice bran. This produces durable, floating pellets that resist breakdown in ponds where warm water and algae can accelerate disintegration.

Unlike a single-screw machine, the twin-screw floating fish feed machine handles wider raw material variation. This is important when local suppliers change moisture or grind size due to seasonal conditions.

Installation, Training, and Local Support Make the Difference

RICHI’s local dealer in Brazil coordinated the delivery to the cooperative’s feed shed. Despite its larger motor, the SPHS150×2 aqua feed machine fit easily thanks to the simple modular layout of the cooperative’s feed facility.

RICHI technicians spent three days onsite, training three cooperative members in daily operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance. The team also received a year’s worth of spare parts and wear components to avoid any downtime during peak production months.

Sustainability Bonus: Using By-products and Local Resources

One standout feature of this fish feed mill project is how the cooperative uses fish off-cuts and local rice bran — materials that often go to waste or are sold at low margins. By blending these into feed, they close a loop, reduce waste, and create higher local value.

The cooperative’s next step is to trial adding small percentages of cassava meal — a crop abundant in the region — to partially replace maize during droughts.

Long-Term Outlook: More Machines, Bigger Dreams

If the SPHS150×2 tilapia pellet making machine in Brazil reaches capacity in the next few harvests, the cooperative plans to invest in a second unit or add a small dryer and bagging line. The idea is to eventually supply feed to smaller farms in nearby municipalities — giving them a competitive local option compared to big feed mill chains.

The farmers are also discussing branded packaging for “100% local tilapia pellets” to emphasize freshness and community benefit.

Why Other Brazilian Farmers Should Take Note

Many Brazilian fish farmers still rely entirely on large feed plants for floating tilapia pellets. This cooperative’s success shows that with a robust tilapia pellet making machine, a simple grinder, mixer, and a bit of local know-how, smaller groups can produce top-grade floating fish feed affordably and reliably.

By owning their own fish feed pelletizer, they control feed conversion ratios, pond water quality, and harvest schedules — all key to staying competitive in a market where input costs can change overnight.

Ready to Make Better Tilapia Feed? RICHI is Ready to Help

This cooperative’s story is just one example of what’s possible when small farmers invest together in smart equipment. The SPHS150×2 tilapia pellet making machine shows that you don’t need a massive factory to take control of feed costs and quality.

If you want to explore how a fish feed extruder, fish feed pellet making machine, or a full floating fish feed line could transform your farm’s economics, reach out to RICHI Machinery today. We’re ready to design the right machine for your local crops, power supply, and capacity — so you can grow your business on your own terms.

Let’s build your feed independence together — one pellet at a time.