Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Raising Mandarin Fish in Ponds

(1) Selection of breeding conditions: Choose a pond with abundant water source, convenient water filling and drainage, and excellent water quality, with a pond area generally of 2~3 mu and a water depth of 1.5~2 m.

(2) Preparation before stocking: ① Disinfect the pond. ② After clearing the main breeding pond, apply decomposed base fertilizer or use biological fish fertilizer to cultivate plankton in the water body. After 3~5 days, release cheap bait fish fry in an amount 20~30 times greater than that of the mandarin fish fry.

(3) Release specifications and fry stocking: ① Pond main breeding. Stock 800~1200 mandarin fish fry with a body length of 5~6 cm per mu. ② When polyculturing in adult fish ponds. Stock about 50~100 mandarin fish summer fry (3.3 cm) per mu. ③ Polyculture in broodstock ponds. Polyculture 15~25 mandarin fish fingerlings of about 50 grams per mu.

(4) Set up supporting bait ponds: For each mu of mandarin fish pond, 3~4 mu of bait fish nursery pond should be paired, where carp, crucian carp, grass carp, silver carp, mud carp, etc., or some wild miscellaneous fish with earlier breeding time and larger breeding output can be placed to breed large numbers of fry for the mandarin fish to feed on.

(5) Feeding management. For bait fish feeding, raising mandarin fish fry with a body weight of 0.5 grams (body length about 3 cm) to 500 grams of marketable fish requires consuming about 5000 bait fish (about 2~3 kg). Bait fish should be released in a timely manner according to the growth of the fish and weather conditions, preferably once every 3~5 days, so as to maintain a certain density of bait fish in the pond. When the bait source is sufficient, as many bait fish as possible should be released so that the mandarin fish have sufficient food.