How to Raise Paddlefish? A Detailed Guide to Scientific Aquaculture Techniques
Perhaps not many people eat paddlefish, but anyone who has tried it will fall in love with its taste. Its flesh is extremely delicious and has few small bones, making it especially suitable for children and the elderly to eat. However, the price of paddlefish is much higher than that of ordinary fish.
Scientific Aquaculture Techniques for Paddlefish
1. Selection of Farming Site
The farming site was chosen at the Chengqian Wadao Reservoir. The farming area has a large water surface, a water depth of more than 6 m, dissolved oxygen of 6-9 mg/L, a pH value of 7-8.4, total hardness of 20-40 mg/L, ammonia nitrogen of 0.02-0.06 mg/L, and nitrite of 0.0015-0.01 mg/L. The water quality is good and meets all the requirements of GB1160 "Water Quality Standard for Fisheries" and NY5051-2001 "Water Quality for Freshwater Aquaculture of Pollution-Free Food".
2. Cage Setup
For cage setup, refer to silver carp cages. Choose waters rich in plankton, with stable water flow, shelter from wind and sun, and a quiet environment. The cage frame uses a simple moso bamboo frame. The cage body material is polyethylene knotless netting. The cage size is 5 m × 5 m × 2.5 m, and the mesh size is 2.5 cm. Paddlefish are afraid of light, so the cage surface is covered with black film.
3. Seedling Selection
Choose high-quality seedlings that are robust, lively in swimming, uniform in size, and free of disease and injury. The stocking density is 20-40 fish per square meter. The size is 10-15 cm. Because paddlefish seedlings are relatively sensitive to water temperature changes, the temperature difference when the seedlings enter the cage should not be too large, preferably not exceeding ±2℃, and should be adjusted to be as consistent as possible. Before entering the cage, disinfect the fish body with 1.5%-2.0% salt water for 8-10 minutes.
4. Scientific Feeding
In the early stage of stocking, feed mainly on zooplankton (such as bloodworms), then gradually acclimatize them to switch to floating pellet feed, supplemented by nighttime light-attracted bait. The feed is required to be fresh and not spoiled, nutritious, and suitable in particle size. Feeding follows the "four fixed" principle. When the water temperature is 20-30℃, the daily feeding rate is 1.5%-3%; when the water temperature is below 20℃, the daily feeding rate is 0.5%-1.0%. Adjust promptly according to feeding conditions, weather, water quality, etc. Feed 3 times a day, at 07:00-08:00, 11:00-12:00, and 18:00-19:00.
5. Timely Cage Sorting
Paddlefish grow very fast, so they should be cultivated by size in a timely manner to avoid polarization, which helps improve the survival rate.
6. Frequent Cage Inspection
a. Strictly implement the morning, noon, and evening cage inspection system, carefully observe the feeding and activity of the sturgeon, and promptly remove residual bait. Regularly rinse the cage to prevent mesh blockage from affecting water exchange inside and outside the cage.
b. Ensure cage safety. On rainy days and in stormy seasons, pay attention to reinforcing the cage at any time. Also frequently check whether the cage is damaged and repair it promptly if damage is found. A black shading nylon cloth and anti-theft net should also be installed at the upper opening of the cage.
c. Keep daily records. Record air temperature, water temperature, feeding amount, and the number of diseased and dead fish every day. If abnormal conditions are found, take timely measures.
7. Fish Disease Prevention and Control
Adhere to the principle of "prevention first, health management." During seedling stocking and each cage sorting, bathe with 1%-2% salt or 0.4 mg/L dibromohydantoin and other drugs before entering the cage, and every about 20 days splash 15 mg/L quicklime and 0.3 mg/L dibromohydantoin inside the cage for disinfection. The use of prohibited drugs is strictly forbidden in the waters around the cage.
Are Paddlefish Profits High?
Paddlefish mainly eat phytoplankton, can be polycultured, and grow fast. Stocking begins in late May each year, and by winter they grow to more than 0.5 kg, when they can be caught and sold. "Don't be fooled by the paddlefish's strange appearance; it's valuable! It tastes pretty good too." Paddlefish meat is tender and does not have too many fish bones, with a special fragrance when eaten. The caviar made from its eggs can sell for 500 US dollars per kilogram.
Although the farming technology requirements for special fish are relatively high and the cost is large, a 6-7 cm paddlefish seedling costs about 6.5 yuan. The survival rate can reach more than 70% at high levels and only 20% at low levels, with an average survival rate of about 50%. When the paddlefish grows to 0.5 kg and can be marketed, it needs to consume about 6 yuan of feed, plus about 3 yuan for contract fees, labor, and electricity. Calculated at a 50% survival rate, the total cost per kilogram of paddlefish is about 44 yuan. According to current market prices, the wholesale price per kilogram of paddlefish is about 70 yuan, and the retail price increases slightly to about 100 yuan per kilogram. After being made into finished dishes, paddlefish rises to 220-440 yuan per kilogram. For ordinary farmer farming, the profit is about 26 yuan per kilogram. In contrast, farming one kilogram of ordinary sea bass yields a profit of only about 2 yuan when the market is good, and generally only about 1 yuan can be maintained. By comparison, the profit from farming paddlefish is more than ten times higher.
Nutritional Value of Paddlefish
1. Paddlefish is rich in collagen, multiple vitamins, and amino acids, and has pharmacological health benefits.
2. Adult paddlefish have much meat and few bones; the fish bones of paddlefish can be chewed and swallowed.
3. Paddlefish has a fine texture and fresh taste, and belongs to high-protein, low-fat meat.
4. Fish eggs processed into caviar are called black gold nuggets and have very high edible value.
5. Paddlefish has extremely high medicinal value. The anti-cancer factors contained in its cartilage and spinal cartilage have a certain anti-cancer and immune-enhancing effect.
Paddlefish Rearing Methods
1. Paddlefish have a wide suitable temperature range. They are not afraid of low temperatures and can tolerate high temperatures. As long as there is sufficient dissolved oxygen in the water, they can live under ice or underwater. If the surface water temperature of a summer pond exceeds 35°C, it still will not affect their normal growth.
2. Fast growth. Paddlefish are one of the fastest-growing freshwater fish species.
3. Feed-saving. They mainly eat zooplankton, so no separate feed is needed in polyculture. In specialized farming, the feed ratio will not exceed 1.3:1.
4. Easy to catch. Their habits are similar to bighead carp, and they are not good at jumping. The first net catch rate is above 90%.
5. Few diseases. They are mainly affected by parasites, and no major diseases have been found so far.
Only by mastering scientific aquaculture techniques can the farming business be developed better. Therefore, no matter which industry you are in, only continuous innovation and continuous learning can create the wealth you want and keep you from being eliminated by society. If you merely stick to old ways, you will only end in failure.