How to Keep the Flagfish? A Complete Guide to Breeding Methods and Precautions

SummarySeedling rearing: Before stocking the fry, the pond must be disinfected, then base fertilizer applied. Growing adult fish: The flagfish has strong adaptability and a docile temperament, and can be kept alone or polycultured with grass carp, bighead carp, bream, etc. Feeding management: The water quality must be kept clear and fertile. The feed for adult fish is mainly aquatic earthworms, supplemented with small fish and shrimp, livestock and poultry offal, mussels, snails, etc. Pest and disease control: Common diseases include gill rot disease, parasitic diseases, enteritis disease, malnutrition, and pond suffocation.

I. Seedling rearing

1. About 30 days after hatching, the fry can grow to about 3-5cm and feed mainly on benthic invertebrates.

2. The rearing pond has an area of about 1-2 mu and a water depth of about 1.2-1.5m. Before stocking the fry, first disinfect the pond, then apply base fertilizer, and finally feed with fine feed such as eel feed, peanut bran, aquatic earthworms, etc.

II. Growing adult fish

1. The flagfish has relatively good disease resistance, strong adaptability, a fairly omnivorous diet, and a docile nature, so it can be kept alone or polycultured.

2. Monoculture: About 400-600 relatively large fingerlings can be stocked per mu, then make full use of the water body and feed, and appropriately supplement some other species in terms of feeding habits and dwelling water layers.

3. The stocking rate per mu is about 200-300 fish, and other fish can be polycultured at the same time, such as about 200 silver carp, and about 30-50 each of grass carp, bighead carp, bream, etc. In addition, to increase pond income, it can be used as a companion fish and stocked in small proportions in other breeding ponds.

III. Feeding management

Management must be strengthened in the later stage, and the water quality must be kept clear, fresh and fertile. In addition, feed must be given reasonably. The feed for adult fish is mainly aquatic earthworms, and can also be paired with small fish and shrimp, livestock and poultry offal, mussels, snails, etc. The crude protein content of artificial pellet feed needs to reach above 35%, and eel feed can be mixed with chilled fresh fish paste into balls for feeding.

IV. Pest and disease control

1. The flagfish grows under natural conditions and has good disease resistance, so it rarely gets sick. If raised artificially, disease generally occurs at all stages such as fry, fingerling, and adult fish. Common diseases generally include gill rot disease, parasitic diseases, enteritis disease, malnutrition, pond suffocation, etc. Therefore, comprehensive prevention and control measures should be taken to control the occurrence of disease.

2. Operation method: Feed using scientific rearing methods, regularly disinfect the feeding ground, feed, fish pond, and fingerlings, and splash insecticidal and bactericidal drugs once a month. During the high-incidence seasons from April to September and September to October, disinfect twice a month, and at the same time feed medicated bait for 1 course of treatment to prevent disease.