How do I purchase and buy the Fish Fat Meter?
Please call us at: 1.800.295.6134 or email at:
info@assurantinnovations.comWe do not provide pricing information on our websites.
What's the minimum fish body size and thickness needed to accurately measure with Distell's Fish Fat Meter?
In order to use Distell's Fish Fat Meter, the fish needs to meet the minimum body size (not including head or tail) and thickness to accurately measure the fish fat content.
For fish body length (NOT including the head and the tail), it must be at least 1.5 inches (40 mm) long.
For fish thickness, it depends on the overall fish fat content:
- if the overall fish fat content is around 1 - 7%, then the fish thickness must be at least 0.28 - 0.31 in (7 - 8 mm).
- if the overall fish fat content is around 8 – 15%, then the fish thickness must be 0.6 - 0.67 in (15 - 17 mm).
- if the overall fish fat content is around 16 – 25%, then the fish thickness must be 0.79 - 1.0 in (20 - 25 mm).
These are the absolute minimum body size and thickness required. If the fish does not meet the requirements, unfortunately, you will not get an accurate result.
How accurate is Distell's Fish Fat Meter?
Distell's Fish Meter has an accuracy of about +/- 0.5% to 4% accuracy depending on the type of fish and total fat content. Please see the Accuracy Guide on the Distell Fish Fat Meter page.
What can Distell's Fish Fat Meters be used for?
Distell's Fish Fat Meter is used to measure fat content (lipid) in fish. It's been widely used in fish research with NOAA, USGS and many other worldwide Government and non-Government projects. It's also used in fishing aquaculture such as fish farming to measure fish fat to maintain healthy level of diet.
Can the fish being measured be used after measurement?
Yes it can. Distell's Fish Fat Meter is a non-destructive measurement device so it does no damage to the fish. You can measure the fish many times as needed without affecting the quality of the fish. After measurement, you can sell it or cook to eat safely.
Can the Fish Fat Meter measure on live fish?
Yes it can. As long as you can hold the fish steady long enough to make sure the sensors are in full contact for few seconds, you can absolutely use it to measure on live fish. The Fish Fat Meter is a non-invasive and non-destructive device, it's harmless to use on live fish.
It's a great way to monitor the fish health and growth as it responds to certain diets and environmental conditions.
Can Distell's Fish Fat Meter measure on frozen fish?
No it can not. Unfortunately, Distell's Fish Fat Meter can not measure the fish fat (lipid) content of frozen fish. The fish must be thawed and unfrozen to measure the fish fat (lipid) content.
Can Distell's Fish Fat Meter measure through the skin of the fish?
Yes. Distell's Fish Fat Meter can measure directly on the skin of the fish or directly on the flesh of the fish (e.g. bone side). There are different calibration settings available for each method.
Will measuring on, rather than above the sideline Lateral Line affect the results?
Yes. If you measure directly on the lateral line of the fish, the measurements will have more variance when compared with results from measuring above the lateral line.
The reason is that if you measure directly under the skin on the lateral line, there is a strip of flesh which tends to contain more fat. The amount of fat present in this area varies significantly due to seasonal changes.
If you measure above the lateral line, then you are measuring directly into the fish flesh / muscle area. This is much more repeatable (stable) and representative of the fat distribution in the flesh / muscle. We recommend this approach since it'll give more consistent results with low variance (changes less) over time as seasons change.
Can Distell's Fish Fat Meter measure through the skin of the fish?
Yes. Distell's Fish Fat Meter can measure directly on the skin of the fish or directly on the flesh of the fish (e.g. bone side). There are different calibration settings available for each method.
Any maintenance or upkeep needed for the Distell's Fish Fat Meter?
Like any scientific and industrial measuring devices, basic regular maintenance and up keep is recommended.
For instance, after each measurements, make sure to wipe clean the sensors and the device.
We also recommend at least a once a year re-calibration and maintenance by Distell. This is for additional fee to ensure the measurements are accurate, precise and working as expected. During the annual re-calibration and maintenance by Distell, we clean, inspect and update the firmware if available. The entire process take about 3 days from the time the meters are received.
Please call 1.800.295.6134 or email us at: i
nfo@assurantinnovations.com to get started.
How many measured results can Distell's Fish Fat Meter device hold and save on the device?
Distell's Fish Fat Meter can hold and save up to 1,000 measured data results on the device. After the 1,000, all the measured data results can be downloaded to your PC with the free cord download cable provided in the kit.
Once the measured data is downloaded to your PC, you can use the free Distell Data Management Software to manage the measured results.
The fish I want to measure is not on Distell's Fish Calibration list, what can I do?
If you want to measure a fish that is not on Distell's Fish Fat Meter calibration list, it's easy to create your own custom calibration. Please see the attached Custom Calibration instructions.
