What are the precautions for loach cage culture

1. Site selection

The culture site should be chosen in wind-sheltered, sunny shallow waters along lakes or reservoirs, or in ponds with flowing water, with good water quality and no industrial pollution.

2. Cage setup

The size of the cage can be large or small; the small ones have an area of 1—2 sq m, and the large ones 20---40 sq m; generally 10--20 sq m is suitable. The cage body is made of polyethylene woven mesh, with a mesh size of 0.5—1.0 cm. The cage height depends on the culture water body, but the upper half of the cage must rise more than 40 cm above the water surface to prevent the loaches from escaping. The bottom of the cage must touch the mud, with a 20 cm thick layer of manure and soil spread on the bottom layer, and the topmost layer being soil.

3. Stocking of loach fingerlings

The stocking density of loach fingerlings in cages should be determined according to the water body conditions. If the water is fertile and flowing, more can be stocked; otherwise, stock fewer. Generally, 900--1200 loach fingerlings of 5-6 cm are stocked per sq m.

4. Feeding management

Loach cage culture mainly relies on artificial feeding. A 2 sq m feeding platform should be set up inside the cage, 20—25 cm above the pond bottom, and the bait is placed on the feeding platform when feeding. Artificial feeding can use dough-like feed made from bran, silkworm pupae, and earthworms, or artificial compound hard pellet feed. The animal protein in the artificial compound feed should account for more than 50%. The daily feeding amount is 3%--5% of the loach's body weight, fed three times a day: morning, noon, and evening.

5. Daily management

Normally, the cage netting should be brushed and washed frequently to maintain water permeability inside and outside the cage and allow enough bait organisms to enter the cage. At the same time, the netting should be checked frequently, and any holes should be repaired immediately. In addition, pollution from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, as well as attacks by harmful organisms, should be prevented.

6. Disease prevention and control

Normally, fish disease prevention and control work should be done well. When feeding, the “four fixed” principle should be adhered to, residual bait on the feeding platform should be removed in time, and quicklime should be splashed periodically or bleaching powder hung in bags. Method of hanging bleaching powder bags: wrap modi bleaching powder in two layers of gauze and place it around the feeding platform, hanging 2--3 bags at a time, which can effectively prevent disease occurrence.