Pond farming: definition, characteristics, organization, application and development

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Pond farming, in comparison with other branches of fish farming, is the most profitable and progressive direction. This type of business specializes not only in the breeding and sale of aquatic inhabitants, but also in the sale of their planting material. Aspiring entrepreneurs should study the very structure of production and draw up a clear and realistic business plan. You can get acquainted with all the nuances of fish farming by reading our article. If all recommendations are followed, the profit from the business will be obvious.

Feasibility of fish farming

Pond farming is an economical way to use water and land resources. It involves comprehensive planning and arrangement of private territory. The value of fish farming primarily lies in the fact that buyers will be able to regularly receive fresh and tasty products. More recently, the composition of aquatic inhabitants was not so numerous. In local ponds, only such individuals were found ascrucian carp, carp and rainbow trout. The introduction of polyculture served to expand the species number of fish. Together with carp, they began to grow herbivorous individuals - grass carp and silver carp. As well as pike and crucian carp.

The practical importance of pond farming is great, since it allows a fish farmer to make a considerable profit and provide the population with high-quality valuable products in a timely manner.

Main benefits of fish farming

The creation of artificial reservoirs has a number of advantages:

• breeding fish directly in the regions of its consumption allows for the active sale of products;
• there is an opportunity to grow individuals for the most optimal period;
• there is no need to recycle products, therefore, the cost of additional construction of enterprises is reduced;
• geographically favorable location of the ponds excludes the delivery of products over long distances;
• it became possible to breed fast-growing individuals;
• joint keeping of several species allows to significantly increase the catch;
• In Russia, fresh fish is a sought-after product from which a variety of dishes have long been prepared.

Business plan is important

Those who have decided to engage in fish farming need to understand that the organization of a pond farm is associated with some risks and requires high costs. You need to include everything in your business plan down to the smallest detail,including possible losses.

A beginner fish farmer should start by choosing the types of freshwater that he plans to grow in a home pond. This involves a thorough study of their biological characteristics, development cycles, common diseases. To begin with, it is better to purchase unpretentious breeds that are in demand among the population (trout, carp).

The second step in setting up a business is to find a suitable location. For the construction of the actual pond, you need to find a plot with dimensions that allow you to dig a hole with an area of 1 hectare. However, such a solution would be too expensive. As an option, you can buy a destroyed reservoir, previously used for fish farming.

It can also be ready-made reservoirs used in agriculture to irrigate fields or provide livestock farms. The owners of such lands will be able to expand their farms and create a source of additional income.

It is advisable to choose a territory with a well-developed infrastructure. It is more profitable when pond fish farms are located near settlements and have access roads.

Determining the location and size of the pond allows you to think about the expected amount of fish food. You should detail all possible costs for the purchase of feed.

The plan can include activities that can generate additional income: paid fishing, various types of recreation and others.

Construction of artificial reservoirs

Based onyour capabilities and the geographical location of your area, you need to choose one of two options for arranging a reservoir.

Creating a pond with a dam. The basis for the fish-breeding complex can be a natural source - a spring or a stream. The easiest way is to set up a dam on a waterway or create a dam. If a special place is allocated for the dam, where rain and external waters will subsequently be collected, then with their active movement it will be possible to build a barrier at the most optimal point of the water flow.

Building an artificial pond from scratch involves digging a hole. It is important to follow these guidelines:

1. First of all, you need to pay attention to the composition of the soil and the quality of the water. Building in wetlands and sandy areas comes with additional challenges. The bed for an artificial reservoir will have to be laid out from reinforced concrete.
2. It is better to have springs, springs or groundwater nearby, which could supply the pond with natural inflows. You must immediately set out to find and clear them.
3. The construction site should be cleared of snags and stumps. You also need to uproot all trees and shrubs in order to avoid siltation of the bottom in the future.
4. The bottom should be smooth, without flaws and depressions, because silt can accumulate in the lowlands, which will further adversely affect the inhabitants of the reservoir.
5. You need to dig a hole with the calculation for the drain channel. With this design, it will be easier to carry out work that will have to be carried out regularly. This includes cleaning from silt, drying and filling the reservoir with new water. Descent buildings give a good increase in freshwater and are less likely to become waterlogged.
6. It is obligatory to have a pit for catching fish, it is located next to the hole for the release of water in the center.

Types of ponds

The biological characteristics of freshwater and their susceptibility to the environment led to the conditional division of pond fish farming. The main types include: cold water and warm water. The first method is preferred if the zone of fish pond farming is located in the northern and central regions of the country. In the southern regions, the technology of warm-water breeding of individuals is practiced.

Fish farming systems

There are two types of fish farming technologies: full-system pond farms and non-full-system.

The starting point of the full cycle of the production process is the work with fish eggs, leading to the final result - bringing the products to a table standard. This includes several activities:

• maintenance of breeding producers;
• breeding of resistant larvae;
• rearing of fingerlings (three-month-old summer fish);
• keeping fish in winter;
• growing freshwater to marketable condition.

Single-system farms are engaged either in the cultivation of planting material or in the cultivation of marketable fish. A fish farmer can organize his own nursery and sell one-year-old fish,fry, fingerlings and larvae.

Types of water bodies

To maintain a complete pond farm, several specialized ponds are required:

• Spawning. With the obligatory presence of vegetation in which the fish spawn, their depth is 0.5 m. To create suitable conditions, the ponds are filled with water only during the spawning period, and then it is drained. Spawning time starts from mid-May and lasts for a month.
• Growing up. Serve for growing the young generation, shallow (about 1.7 m). Fry are released in the middle of summer.
• Nurseries. A mother reservoir designed to keep spawners until they are transferred to winter pits.
• Winter. Before placing individuals for wintering, treatment is carried out with the help of special medicines. After the formation of an ice layer, holes are made in several places, which are covered with an insulating litter. Winter maintenance obliges to constantly monitor the catching of dead fish.

What should the water be like?

Fish are considered active consumers of oxygen during respiration. There are individuals that can live in water that is not enriched with oxygen. And yet, experienced fish farmers recommend creating conditions for productive inhabitants of the highest class. This greatly accelerates the biological processes in fish. They multiply, grow and gain weight much faster.

When the oxygen content is below 0.4 mg per liter of water, freshwater die. BUTThis means that fish pond farming cannot be ignored. In the summer, aquatic vegetation comes to the rescue, which saturates the reservoir with oxygen. In winter, it is necessary to aerate the water in order to prevent a sharp drop in this vital compound for fish. The optimal amount of oxygen per liter of water is 6 mg. It is important to ensure that the water is clean.

It is necessary to periodically take water for analysis to a hydrochemical laboratory. This should be done before launching the fish into the pond. It is extremely important to check for hydrogen sulfide, minerals, carbon dioxide and methane. Sometimes mineralization of the soil with lime is required, as well as getting rid of excess vegetation.

Types of fish

In pond farms, fish are grown that feel good in running cold water enriched with oxygen. It includes pike, trout, omul, salmon, burbot and grayling.

Heat-loving rocks require less oxygen. They can live in conditions of settled water and the presence of a high content of organic matter. The group of heat-loving inhabitants of the ponds includes: catfish, carp, carp, grass carp, silver carp, silver carp, sturgeon, tench.

The introduction of new technologies makes it possible to grow some types of herbivorous fish along with carp.

Feeding

In some pond farms automatic feeding of fish is practiced. Automatic feeders are installed in permanent places at the same distance. The same principle applies to manual feeding.

Daily feed intake ranges from 3 to 8% relative to the live weight of the fish. Depending on the intensity of the breeding method and the species characteristics of the fish, the dose of fats, vegetable components and protein is calculated.

Overfeeding pond dwellers is just as bad for them as lack of specific nutrients.

Epidemic prevention

Epidemics are a big risk in pond farming. Most often, fish suffer from rubella, branchomycosis and become infected with E. coli.

Timely inspection is required to reduce the death of aquatic life. For control, several individuals are caught monthly and checked for various diseases. If an infection is detected, sick fish are transferred to an isolated area. In such a situation, you should immediately call the veterinarian and carry out all therapeutic and preventive measures.

Sustainable housekeeping

The main negative factor in fish pond farming is the duration of development of individuals until full maturity. For example, trout or carp grow for two and a half years. Carp ripen in the autumn, so the peak of sales increases at this time of the year. Some fish farmers practice overexposure to maximize commercial success. However, there is a probability of loss of living material up to 15-16%.

Conclusion

Freshwater breeding technology is an interrelated and rather complex process. Both deep knowledge of theory andpractical farming skills. A good profit can be obtained only taking into account all the features of the technology. If you are a novice businessman and have not yet decided on the type of entrepreneurial activity, then there are reasons to pay attention to fish farming. At the moment, in our country, pond farming is of considerable importance and is included in the category of the most progressive areas. Due to the deteriorating ecology, commercial fish catches are significantly reduced. Artificial ponds help provide the population with a valuable product, which is a sought-after ingredient in cooking.