A Detailed Guide to Building a Frog Breeding Pond
To breed frogs, building a breeding pond first is essential, and it is also the first step in breeding. There is a certain amount of care involved in building a frog breeding pond; it cannot be done just any way. Its pond depth, water depth, and pond surface all have a standard, and only when these standards are met can it better suit the growth of frogs.
Building a Frog Breeding Pond
Frog breeding ponds are divided into spawning ponds, tadpole ponds, and adult frog ponds. Generally, it is best to choose a place that is both damp and warm with shade from the sun, and a long cement pond or earth pond is suitable. For a large outdoor pond, 4×6 m makes one single pond; the pond walls are best plastered with cement, while the pond bottom should still retain soil; for a small courtyard pond, 1×1.5 m to 2 m is generally suitable.
The pond depth is generally 1 m, with an inlet hole and a drainage channel, and the water depth is 20~50 cm. The pond surface must be provided with shade boards. Generally, 40 adult frogs can be kept per sq m. Frog breeding ponds can use earth ponds, brick ponds, or rice fields; the key lies in preventing escape. If conditions permit, brick walls can be built, or netting can be used, generally 1~1.2 m high.
The water depth in the pond is 30~60 cm. In the middle of the water or on the sunny side, a mound of soil is piled up to provide land habitat for the frogs, and it should account for about 1/3 of the whole pond. Grass or crops are planted on the mound. A small amount of floating aquatic plants is put into the pond water. For a pond used to raise tadpoles, only a small area of land is left for the young frogs to come ashore after metamorphosis. A cement pond is better for tadpoles, and the pond wall slope should be gentle to provide habitat for the tadpoles.
Frog Seedling-Raising Techniques
1. Selection of breeder frogs: Breeder frogs should be selected for breeding use with a strong body, no injuries or disabilities, and no diseases. Usually the female frog is somewhat larger than the male frog, and when the male frog calls, the external vocal sacs on both sides of its neck swell up.
2. Stocking of breeder frogs: Breeder frogs are stocked in September to October, at a density of 10~12 per sq m, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. After hibernating in the breeder frog pond, the breeder frogs begin to pair and spawn around Qingming Festival the following year.
3. Pairing and spawning: When the average temperature reaches 16~20 degrees C, the breeder frogs begin to pair freely, and they spawn after 3~4 days of pairing. Spawning usually occurs at 5~6 in the morning and from 11 to 1 at noon.
4. Collection of egg masses: After the fertilized frog eggs are collected, they are placed in the disinfected ring ditch of the breeding pond to hatch. The darker side of the egg mass is the animal pole and must face up, while the whiter side is the vegetal pole and must face down.
Can Frog Farming Really Make Money
1. Infrastructure: Frog breeding ponds are mainly earth ponds. One mu of rice field, etc. can be converted into 3 breeding ponds of about 200 sq m each. The pond renovation cost is mainly 1000 yuan, and feeding platforms, bird nets, etc. cost about 300 yuan.
2. Seed introduction cost: Artificially farming frogs (black-spotted frog) requires introducing seed from a legitimate breeding unit, and you also need to complete the farming procedures yourself. At present, the seed introduction cost is about 3000 yuan per mu.
3. Feed cost: The feed cost needed to raise one jin of frogs is 4.5~5 yuan. The feed cost is directly related to the survival rate, yield, etc. Calculated at an average yield of 2500 jin per mu, the feed cost is 12500 yuan.
4. Disease prevention: Any living organism can get sick, and a clean and hygienic breeding environment is very important. Artificially farming frogs requires regular disinfection and prevention of enteritis, etc., and about 300 yuan of preventive medicine needs to be prepared.
5. Farming profit: The total cost of raising one mu of frogs is about 20000 yuan, producing 2500 jin of frogs. Calculated at the current market wholesale price of 20 yuan per jin, they can be sold for 50000 yuan, and the net income per mu is 30000 yuan.
The Growth Process of Frogs
1. Frog eggs: The breeding time of frogs is roughly in mid-to-late April each year. During reproduction, the male and female frogs pair, the female frog releases eggs, and at the same time the male frog releases sperm. The sperm and eggs complete fertilization in the water, avoiding a time lag and greatly increasing the fertilization rate.
2. Tadpole: The tadpole is an early stage in the individual development of amphibians. The early small tadpole has a round or oval body and looks like a fish, relying on the residual yolk in its body for nutrition. When the tadpole matures, it begins to transform and gradually grows limbs.
3. Young frog: After metamorphic development, the tadpole grows limbs, its tail is absorbed, and it comes ashore to live. Due to changes in both physiology and environment, its vitality is very weak and its ability to adapt to the environment is poor. For example, a dry environment, exposure to scorching sun, and being beaten by heavy rain can all cause its death.
4. Adult frog: After a series of growth stages, the young frog grows into an adult frog. Its skin is bare and cannot effectively prevent the evaporation of water from its body, so it cannot live without water or a damp environment throughout its life. It fears drought and cold, so most live in rainy tropical and temperate regions.
Although building the breeding pond is the first step to success, understanding the living habits of frogs is also something breeders must know. Only by understanding the growth habits of frogs and their growth process can breeding be done with ease. Only then can unnecessary economic losses be reduced and greater profit margins be obtained.