Analysis of Puffer Fish Farming Conditions: Can They Be Farmed in Freshwater?
Everyone is probably quite familiar with puffer fish, as it is one of the famous "three delicacies." Its flesh is especially tender and delicious, and it is deeply loved and sought after by everyone. As more and more people come to love puffer fish, many have begun farming them for sale. So do you know what conditions and requirements are needed for farming puffer fish? Can they be raised in freshwater?
Puffer Fish Farming Conditions
The sea area for farming requires clean water quality rich in dissolved oxygen, with no red tide occurrences and no pollutants or sewage flowing in. For cage farming, it is best to choose a wind-sheltered inner bay, with a transparency requirement of 7-8 m and a flow velocity of 10 cm/s. The optimal water temperature is 16-23 degrees C; when the water temperature is below 9 degrees C or above 28 degrees C, it is unfavorable for their growth.
At present, puffer fish farming in Japan is mainly cage-based. In the first year, polyethylene cages are used from fry to 1-year-old fish. When body weight reaches more than 300 g, they are moved into metal cages with 4 cm mesh for rearing until they are sold on the market. The cage specifications for domestic puffer fish cage farming are 3×3×5 m, mostly seen in the coastal areas of the south, while in the north most are pond-farmed, with areas ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of sq m, and pond depth of 2-2.5 m. In addition to monoculture, in recent years there have also been polyculture practitioners. In Zhejiang, from 92-93, earthen pond polyculture of oriental puffer fish and prawns was carried out in Shenjiamen with success.
Can Puffer Fish Be Raised in Freshwater
Puffer fish is a migratory fish species and belongs to freshwater fish, so it can also be raised in freshwater.
Generally, young immature puffer fish are gray, and after maturity they turn pink. As one of the delicacies of the Yangtze River in China's "three delicacies," it is commonly found in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, but eating it is highly toxic, so in the Jiangyin area the ancients had the saying "risk death to eat puffer fish." Therefore, if you want to taste the freshness of puffer fish, it is best to have a professional chef perform technical processing to remove the toxin so that it can be eaten with confidence and safety.
Puffer Fish Farming Management
1. Before releasing seedlings, select seedlings of consistent size that are healthy and lively, and at the same time understand the management conditions during the seedling stage and whether there are deformed seedlings, etc.
2. Before stocking seedlings, a medicated bath must be carried out to prevent invasion by parasites and other diseases.
3. When moving seedlings and transporting, large containers should be used as much as possible to avoid injury to fish fry and fingerlings.
4. The best way to prevent cannibalism is to produce and use healthy seedlings. Healthy seedlings show schooling activity in cages and farming ponds, and under such conditions cannibalism is unlikely to occur.
5. Usually from May to November, sorting must be done twice. When changing nets, it is best to connect the old and new nets together so that the fish transfer naturally and avoid scratching their bodies.
6. Ice-fresh bait is best processed with ice, trying to maintain the freshness of the bait and prevent protein deterioration.
7. Feeding fresh bait should begin in the early morning to increase the fry's enthusiasm for consuming bait.
How Puffer Fish Overwinter
Puffer fish fry weighing 3-4 g are placed in cages from June to July, and by the end of December they can reach about 400 g, and by the end of the second year they can reach more than 1000 g. At this time they can be harvested and sold. The best market size for redfin puffer is 1 kg, when the price is highest. In order to achieve better farming results, the previous fish body weight should reach more than 350 g. Before December, the water temperature is still suitable for growth, so sufficient bait should be fed. During the overwintering period, when the fish can still feed, it is also necessary to ensure as much small-amount feeding as possible to prevent weight loss and ensure a stable survival rate. After overwintering, normal growth resumes starting in April.
Can Puffer Fish Be Kept as Pets
Yes, but it is not recommended to mix them with other fish.
Generally, puffer fish individuals are 200-300 mm, and a few can grow to 900 mm. Moreover, if you raise them yourself, you need to pay attention to related issues such as changes in the farming environment and climate.
As mentioned above, at present puffer fish farming is not a particularly common farming project; on the contrary, relatively few people farm them. At the same time, puffer fish has extremely high nutritional value and delicious taste, so its farming prospects can be said to be very broad!