What are the precautions for tilapia farming in winter

1. Keep the pond water level stable

In the cold winter season, appropriately raising the water level and increasing water capacity can both maintain a relatively stable water temperature and improve water quality conditions. The pond water level should be kept at about 2 m. When the water level drops by 10-15 cm, new water must be added to keep the water level and water quality stable.

2. Regularly adjust water quality

For ponds with a water source, new water should be added once every 10-15 days, with 20-30 cm of new water added each time, and old water appropriately discharged; lime slurry should be splashed once every 15-20 days to increase the calcium concentration in the water; after about 20 days, phosphate fertilizer should be applied once more to increase the phosphorus concentration in the water and enhance the cold resistance of the fish; for ponds equipped with aerators, turn on the aerator from 12 noon to 2 pm on sunny days to promote circulation between surface water and bottom water, make dissolved oxygen even and reasonable, and increase fish appetite and disease resistance. When weather conditions are poor (muggy, rainy, etc.), the aerator should be turned on additionally at night, generally from midnight until dawn

3. Timely repair disaster-damaged fishery facilities such as insulation sheds to minimize losses of overwintering aquaculture species; do a good job of freeze prevention for fishery production facilities. During continuous rainy days, thicken the film on the windward side and lengthen the foundation posts of the greenhouse.

4. Appropriately reduce fish farming density to prevent oxygen deficiency and fish deaths caused by high fish density.

5. Feed reasonably to improve disease resistance

In the cold winter, appropriately supplement with concentrated feed so that the energy for fish life activities can be replenished and the survival rate improved. When the water temperature is above 5°C, generally feed once every 3-5 days, with a daily feeding amount of 0.5%-1.0% of fish body weight; during continuous fine weather, when the water temperature rises above 8°C, fish activity increases, so the feeding amount should be appropriately increased.

6. Minimize operations as much as possible

Apart from special requirements for ensuring market supply, minimize production operations as much as possible. During severe cold, suspend fishing operations and avoid operations such as seine netting in fingerling ponds and broodstock ponds as much as possible to avoid fish injury.

7. Strengthen disease prevention and control

In the cold winter season, because the water temperature is lower, fish immunity declines and disease resistance is weak, making them susceptible to infection and invasion by fungi (saprolegniasis) and parasites (myxosporidiosis, chilodonelliasis, ichthyophthiriasis, gyrodactyliasis, Lernaea). Strict disease prevention measures should be taken, and water disinfection should be carried out regularly.