80:20 pond fish culture: Freshwater Pond Fish technology
Freshwater pond fish culture:
Fish cultured includes wild harvesting, intensive,
semi-intensive culture. The type of water the animal thrive is either fresh or
sea water. Intensive usually refers to pond culture. The pond culture depends
on different systems like earthen, rice/fish culture, plastic pond, concrete,
cage or block.
Freshwater Pond Fish Technology
Freshwater pond culture technology refers to 80:20 pond
fish culture. It involves growing a single sized feed taking species in ponds
for commercial purposes. The single sized fish comprises of the main stock and
accounts for 80% of total fish in pond.
Another way to estimate the fish crop harvest is based on
weight. Once the fish farmer achieved 80% harvest weight he’s reached his goal
of 80%. Other requirements include 20%
non-feed taking species weighing 20% on harvest day.
Freshwater
Pond Culture
Culturing fish in ponds is an aquaculture practiced from
ancient times. Modern aquaculture has evolved because of advancement in technology,
feed and knowledge of different fish species. Old techniques include immersing
a basket in water, trapping, damming. Fish farmers before setting up the pond
take into consideration topography, availability of water, feeding.
Things
to Consider
Things to consider before establishing the pond is
startup capital, topography, weather conditions, type of pond system, fish
stock, feeding. Others are availability of water, pond safety, distance from
market, price.
startup
capital
topography
weather
conditions
type
of pond system
fish
stock
feeding
water
pond
safety
distance
from market
price
Different
culture system
There are many types of culture system practiced by
farmers. We have the integrated agriculture-aquaculture, brackishwater pond.
Others are pen/cage culture, coastal bivalve culture, seaweed culture, marine
ponds and raceway system.
Culture
Systems
integrated agriculture-aquaculture
brackishwater pond
pen/cage culture
coastal bivalve culture
seaweed culture
marine ponds
raceway system
The 80:20
pond fish culture
Operating an 80:20 pond fish culture is highly efficient
and profitable. Made popular in China the technology is intensive pond
production for freshwater fish. Unlike monoculture commercial pond farming
80:20 supports one feed taking species and one non-feed taking species. This
effectively increases profitability and productivity.
How
does 80:20 pond fish culture work?
A pond system raises a single feed taking specie that
accounts for 80% of the stock. While the non-feed taking species account for
20% of stock. Non-feed taking species are either filter feeders or predators.
Predator fish are generally used to keep population in a pond under control.
Non-feed taking service fish on the other hand are specialized filter feeders.
Feed
Taking Species
Freshwater pond fish culture rely on a primary stock and
secondary fish stock. The primary stock are feed taking species to achieve
expected weight. Most fish crops achieve full weight from 4 to 6 months
depending on the species. Popular feed takers are tilapia, catfish and grass
carp production.
Tilapia
Catfish
Grass carp
Tilapia
A general practice in tilapia production is stocking
single gender fish in pond. This is because tilapia are prolific breeders and
birth easily in pond system. To keep the numbers down in a system with both
gender predator fish is introduced.
Catfish
Catfish
are both predatory and feed takers. If hungry they are capable of feeding on
each other for survival. Therefore farmers should promptly remove injured or
sick fish and provide regular feeding.
Filter
feeders
Filter feeders refer to suspended feeding animals that
feed on food particles or suspended matter. Animals who display such adaptation
are shark, sponges, and different boney fish species. We have baleen whales,
some types of herring krill and sponges.
