Can grouper be farmed in freshwater? A detailed guide to creek grouper farming techniques
Creek grouper is a type of grouper, and it belongs to the freshwater groupers. Creek grouper generally spawns in winter, and its spawning habits are the same as those of tilapia, digging many spawning nests at the bottom of the pond. If creek grouper is farmed, there will be certain requirements for water quality. Let us take a look below at what needs attention in the process of raising creek grouper.
Creek grouper farming techniques
1. The water source should be pollution-free stream water, introduced into the pond through a channel, entering from one end of the pond and exiting from the other, mainly using flowing-water farming. The pond is generally 50-100 sq m in size, with a water depth of about 1 m. It is best to place some gravel in the pond so that the grouper can hide, and a shed can also be built in one corner of the pond for shade to avoid the light being too strong in summer and affecting the growth of the grouper.
2. Artificial farming requires feeding bait. Shrimp bait or carp bait with high protein content can be fed, and the protein content is required to be above 30%. The amount of bait fed depends on the water temperature, fish body size and weather conditions, and overall it is suitable for the fish to eat until they are 80% full. Feeding method: after the total amount is determined, feed a small amount many times. When feeding, feed slowly, and feed again after it is eaten, because grouper do not like to forage for bait that has sunk to the bottom.
3. Daily water quality management requires clarity, mainly using flowing water. When the light is too strong in summer, shade should be provided in time. During heavy rain, the water inlet should be closed to avoid muddy water rushing into the pond and to prevent the grouper from escaping.
Can grouper be farmed in freshwater?
1. Yes. Freshwater grouper can grow in freshwater and can also grow in seawater with a salinity below 10‰. The suitable temperature range is between 25-30°C. When the water temperature drops to 20°C, feeding is noticeably reduced, and when the water temperature drops to 15°C, the body loses balance. Therefore, areas where the pond water drops below 15°C in winter are not suitable for farming. During overwintering, the water temperature for freshwater grouper growth is above 19°C. Its feeding habit is that of a fish with carnivorous tendencies, and at the fry stage the carnivorous characteristic is strong, mainly feeding on zooplankton.
2. Freshwater grouper can spawn at one winter of age, and its spawning habits are the same as those of tilapia, digging many spawning nests at the bottom of the pond. Spawning generally takes place in the afternoon. After spawning, the female fish mainly guards the fertilized eggs, and the male fish also guards together, but as the embryo develops, the guarding behavior becomes weaker and weaker.
3. The eggs are oval, yellow-dark green in color, opaque, adhesive eggs, scattered and arranged on the bottom of the pond, rarely overlapping. A female fish weighing 140 g spawns about 3000-4000 eggs each time. At a water temperature of 26-29°C, the fertilized eggs can hatch into fry after 48 hours.
Where are the places of origin of grouper?
1. Grouper is rich in nutrition, and its flesh is tender and white, similar to chicken, so it has long been known as “sea chicken”. Grouper is also a low-fat, high-protein premium food fish, and has been promoted by Hong Kong, China and Macao, China as one of China's four famous fish. The main places of origin of grouper in China are Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, China, Hainan and other places.
2. It is mostly produced in China's coastal areas and the waters of the Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands. It is an important economic fish of large and medium-sized warm-water marine species. There are 12 species of grouper distributed along the coast of Fujian, among which the species with higher economic value and relatively common occurrence include red-spotted grouper, salmon-spotted grouper, clouded grouper and reticulated grouper.
What kinds of grouper are there?
1. Grouper is hermaphroditic and has the characteristic of sex change. At the first sexual maturity, all are female, and the following year they change into males. Therefore, males are noticeably fewer than females. There are 12 species of grouper distributed along the coast of Fujian, among which the species with higher economic value and relatively common occurrence include red-spotted grouper, salmon-spotted grouper, clouded grouper and reticulated grouper.
2. The leopard coral grouper has colors including blue, red, brown and yellow. Its body shape is more slender than ordinary grouper, and its head is small. Its blue eyes have jet-black pupils, and its body is covered with fine white spots, shaped like stars in the sky, so it is called “star grouper”. As for the word “east”, it is because it is produced in the Dongsha Islands in eastern China.
Creek grouper can indeed be called a delicacy, with a relatively fresh and delicious taste. Its price on the market is 60-70 yuan/jin, and demand exceeds supply. Therefore, creek grouper has fairly good farming prospects. You might as well put a few in your own pond and give it a try.