Is the mullet a sea fish or a freshwater fish? Feeding habits, stocking density per mu, and economic benefits
The mullet is also known as the “new fish.” The fish has a relatively small, round body with only a single spine running through it, plenty of flesh and few bones, making it easy to eat, and its meat is delicious. So, is the mullet a sea fish or a freshwater fish? What food does it eat to grow? How many can be raised in one mu of fish pond? What are the economic benefits?
I. Is the mullet a sea fish or a freshwater fish?
The mullet does not really count as a sea fish. It is produced in the brackish-water mixing zone of the Helan sea area in the west, and the Fuyong mullet is especially famous.
II. What food does it eat to grow?
The mullet mainly feeds on plant-based food, algae mud, plankton in the fertilized water of fish ponds, and leftover bait from other fish. It can also feed on low-nutrition foods such as rice bran, straw bran, wheat bran, and cornmeal. At the same time, the mullet can improve pond water quality and plays the role of a “scavenger.” Therefore, raising the mullet mixed with other fish in freshwater ponds has the advantages of easy management, low cost, and high returns.
III. How many can be raised in one mu of fish pond? What are the economic benefits?
For mixed culture of the mullet, 200-300 fry about 3 cm in size are stocked per mu of fish pond (water depth 1.2-2 m). If the pond is normally fed with feed and is equipped with an aerator and good drainage and irrigation facilities, the stocking density can be appropriately increased. Through desalination acclimation, the survival rate of the fry can reach 80%-95%. After one year of stocking, the fish can grow to 500-750 grams, with a yield of more than 150 kg per mu. At a market price of 16-20 yuan per kg, the output value per mu can reach 2,500-4,000 yuan, and the economic benefits are very considerable. Therefore, the mullet is an indispensable high-quality species in aquaculture. The mullet has a very narrow fry-stocking season, mainly completed from Major Cold to before the Spring Equinox each year. Once this golden time for stocking is missed, the pond will have no fry to stock, affecting the economic benefits of a whole year of farming. For this reason, farmers must make stocking plans and order fry in advance to ensure that the pond improves the economic benefits of existing pond farming through mixed culture of the mullet.