Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Snakehead (Blackfish) Farming Techniques
The snakehead (Channa argus) is also called blackfish, snakehead fish and so on; because of its rich nutritional value and high economic value, it is widely farmed artificially. So, what farming techniques are there for blackfish? Let's find out together!
1. Pond selection
When farming snakehead, the first thing is to determine the pond's farming area. Snakehead should not be farmed in too large a quantity, but it can be divided into several ponds for separate farming. One pond should be about 2-5 mu, with a water depth of about 2 m. The silt at the bottom of the pond should not be excessive. Escape-prevention nets must be installed at the water inlet and outlet of the pond to prevent the snakehead from escaping during farming. Before stocking, quicklime needs to be spread over the fish pond for disinfection. Water hyacinth about 1 m wide can also be planted in the pond; this not only prevents the snakehead from jumping out of the pond, but also effectively shades the pond. The pond should be chosen in a place far from noisy and clamorous areas, with a sufficient supply of clean and sanitary water and a good drainage and water-exchange system.
2. Fry stocking
When selecting fry, they are generally bought from the market. Although market prices are relatively low, their specifications vary, and in many cases the fish suffer mechanical damage. Therefore, before stocking the fry, the pond must be disinfected with quicklime, or the fry should be soaked in salt water and bleaching powder for about 20 minutes to disinfect them. The stocking density of snakehead should be determined by various factors such as farming area, rearing techniques and feed. Generally, at most 2500 snakehead can be farmed per mu.
3. Feed feeding
Anyone with experience in snakehead farming knows that snakehead is a very ferocious carnivorous fish. Whether the meat is live or dead, it mainly feeds on various small fish and shrimp in the pond. When feeding snakehead artificially, it must be fed at fixed points and fixed times every day, at least twice a day at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Generally, about one week after stocking, the fry will begin to come to the water surface to compete for food. When the snakehead is feeding, carefully observe its feeding situation. If there are relatively few snakehead near the food, or the competition for food among the snakehead is not intense, it means most of the snakehead are already full, and feeding can be stopped.
4. Rearing management
The snakehead has a very large appetite, so it also produces a lot of excrement. As a result, the water in the pond quickly becomes more and more fertile, causing large numbers of zooplankton to reproduce and breed, which leads to oxygen deficiency in the pond. Therefore, during farming, pay attention to changes in the dissolved oxygen content of the water. If oxygen deficiency occurs, oxygen must be added in time. If the situation is relatively serious, then a method of disinfecting the water surface should be adopted: spread trichlorfon about 3 m from the edge of the pond. Although the snakehead has strong disease resistance and a relatively low incidence rate during farming, in autumn, if management is not done correctly, it can still cause the snakehead to become sick. So at this time everyone must constantly pay attention to the growth condition of the snakehead, and if abnormalities are found, take corresponding measures in time.
The above is an introduction to snakehead farming techniques. I hope it can help you!