Four Methods for Overwintering Rice Field Eels

1. With-water overwintering method. The rice field eel is a poikilothermic cold-blooded fish with strong adaptability to the environment. When the temperature drops below 10°C (growth temperature 15°C-30°C), it rarely feeds and burrows into holes to hibernate. At this time, for the safe overwintering of rice field eels, the water level of the breeding pond should be raised to 30-50 cm to ensure that the water temperature at the bottom of the pond stays above 0°C in winter. If the entire pond freezes over, the ice must be broken open every day to prevent the rice field eels from suffering from lack of oxygen.

2. Dry-pond overwintering method. When the water temperature is below 10°C, drain the pond water to ensure the soil at the bottom of the pond remains moist, and cover the surface of the pond soil with a layer of rice straw, wheat straw or corn stalks, 30 cm thick.

3. Indoor overwintering method. When the temperature is below 10°C, transfer the rice field eels raised in the pond indoors for overwintering. Indoors, use a pond or bucket at a ratio of 1 kg of rice field eels to 2 kg of water, place the rice field eels in the pond or bucket, change the water once a day, and ensure the indoor temperature stays between 2°C and 5°C.

4. Plastic greenhouse overwintering method. When the winter water temperature is below 12°C, using a plastic greenhouse for overwintering also works very well. The water level of the pond inside the plastic greenhouse only needs to be slightly higher than the breeding water level, and the air temperature inside the greenhouse should be kept between 2°C and 8°C. At noon each day when the temperature is highest, open the ventilation holes of the greenhouse to let fresh air into the greenhouse, and install ventilation holes at the top of the greenhouse to prevent the rice field eels from suffering from lack of oxygen.