Carp fish farming is very profitable and a popular business. Commercial fish farming is very popular in some South Asian countries especially in India, Bangladesh, Thailand etc.
Carp fishes are economically very important and many people are doing this business as a full time business. So, this business is a great employment source for the rural people.
Traditionally, carp fishes are raised in earthen ponds. But today, people are growing these fish in tanks and are utilizing very little space.
Not only in Asia, carp fishes are available and raised throughout the world. These fishes are great source of protein and can play a very important role in total food production.
Both demand and price of carp fishes are good in the market. So, you don’t have to worry much about marketing your products if you want to start this business.
Advantages of Carp Fish Farming Business
There are many benefits or advantages of carp fish farming. Here we are trying to describe more about the top advantages of carp fish farming business.
Commercial carp fish farming is very easy and simple. Even the beginners can also grow them.
You can utilize your existing pond or tanks for growing carp fishes.
You can even use your rooftop for culturing these fish.
Farm raised carp fishes are more nutritious as compared to wild fish.
Various carp fish species are available to choose from. You can choose any species depending on your need.
Carp fishes already have an established market throughout the world. So, you don’t have to worry much about marketing your products.
You can start either small scale or large scale production depending on your budget.
Carp fish farming is already a profitable business venture. So, if you don’t have enough capital to start this business, then you can apply for bank loan.
Commercial production is an excellent employment source. Young educated people can enter into this business for eradicating unemployment problem.
Consuming fish daily has many health benefits. And you can enjoy fresh fish if you start growing your own.
How to Start Carp Fish Farming
Starting carp fish farming is very easy and simple. You don’t have to have much knowledge for starting this business. Even the beginners can also raise them.
But you must have to be trained if you want to apply the advanced technology. Here we are trying to describe more about the steps for starting and running a successful carp fish farming business.
Select Area For The Farm
First of all, you have to select a very good, calm and secure place for starting your carp fish farming business.
You can either start the business in your existing farm area or start in a new area. Consider the following factors while selecting an area for this business.
Try to select a calm and noise free area.
Total area of the selected land should accommodate everything that you need for this business.
It will be better if you can avoid flooding and polluted areas.
Don’t select the land near the crop field, because farmers generally use a lot of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals and pesticides will pollute the water of your pond.
Ensure good transportation system is available in your selected area. Good transportation system is required for properly marketing your products.
It will be better,if your selected land is slightly lower than the main water source. It will help you to reduce the cost of filling your pond with water. Natural gravity will fill the land without any cost. But you don’t want to worry about this if you are willing to start in tanks.
Type of Your Farm
Determine how you want to start your fish production business. You can grow the fishes in cages, ponds, lakes or even in tanks. And you can start either intensive or extensive system for producing fish.
Pond Design & Construction
If you want to grow fish in earthen pond, then constructing the ponds is very important. Have a design approved from an expert and construct the pond according to the design.
You can also contact with your nearest fisheries institute to learn more about specific pond design for specific fish species.
Ideal Conditions
Carp fish species can be grown in ponds, lakes, cages and in tanks. They generally grow well in tropical areas. And best growth and maximum production is obtained when water temperature ranges between 25°C and 30°C. And most of the carp fish species can’t tolerate salinity.
Select The Right Fish Species
Selecting the right fish species is very important for having good production and making maximum profits. Select the species depending on it’s availability in your area and also the demand and price. Most common carp fish species are;
Rui
Catla
Mrigal
Silver Carp
Grass Carp
Common Carp
Bighead Carp
Black Carp
Stocking Density
Right stocking density is very important. Suppose, you have a pond measuring 40 meter long and 20 meter wide, and a water depth of 1.2 meter. Such a pond can hold around 960 cubic meters of water.
Now, you can stock around 2-3 carp fish per cubic meter. So your 800 square meter pond with 1.2 meter depth is ideal for stocking and growing 1920-2880 carp fishes. You can also consult with an expert in your area.
Feeding
Feeding the fish with very good quality and nutritious food is the most important part of commercial carp fish farming business. Because, good food not only helps the fish to gain weight, but also helps them to stay free from health problems.
Today, there are many companies available which are producing ready-made feeds for the fishes. You can use such commercial feeds for better growth.
But you can also feed the fish with homemade pellets. You can use easily available ingredients for producing the pellets such as rice bran, oat groats, corn, canola meal, alfalfa meal, linseed meal and some vegetables.
Breeding
Most of the carp fishes will not breed in your farm. They need artificial conditions for breeding. Don’t worry about this. The fish breeding hatcheries will do this job for you. You just have to purchase the fingerlings.
Caring
Taking good care of the fish is very important for proper growth and maximum production of the fish. So, always try to take good care of them along with feeding good quality feeds. Try to maintain the water quality, and also monitor their health on a regular basis.
Harvesting
It can take 6 months to 1 year for reaching the harvesting size. You can start harvesting when the fish reaches your desired size, for example 800 grams to 1 kg. You can use netting or any other methods for harvesting.
Marketing
Marketing carp fish species is very easy and simple. Most of the carp fish species have very good demand and value in the market. So, you don’t have to worry much about marketing your products. Just focus on production. 🙂
These are the common steps and ways for starting and operating a successful carp fish farming business. Hope this guide has helped you! Good luck & may God bless you!
