July 27, 2019
Nigerian Catfish Farmers |
Fingerlings are most vulnerable when they are less than 10g in size, thus the highest mortality rates occur during this period.
Over stocking the pond leads to high mortality. This is because they need to be fed with a relatively large quantity of feed which will thus result in higher amount of waste released into the pond.
High amount of waste in fish ponds degrades water quality and should be minimised as much as possible.
Catfish are carnivorous by nature, which means they feed on flesh. So one should ensure that when stocking fingerlings, they should be sorted weekly and fingerlings of the same size should be stocked together.
Again, fingerlings of similar sizes should be stocked into smaller tanks before transferring them to the main grow-out pond.
Overfeeding fingerlings and juveniles may also lead to high mortality rates because they have uncontrollable appetite which lead to overfeeding and consequently death.
Another reason is transfer stress, when they are transferred from one location to another, such fingerlings/ juveniles should be left for at least 24hours before feeding.
Poor water management. Anything below and above 6.5 - 7.5 PH of Water (i.e too acidic or alkaline) makes the fish to be prone to disease infestation, poor feed conversion ration by the fish, slow growth, wasted resources, blisters on fish skin, promotes the growth of micro organisms such as fungi, bacteria, and parasitic worms that will eventually kill the fish.
NOTE: Make sure you use your ph meter to regularly test your pond water ph level. At least 3 times a day.
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Cheers!
