How much is pearl softshell turtle per jin? How to raise it? How big can it grow?
Pearl softshell turtle, scientific name Apalone ferox (Florida softshell turtle), is docile in temperament, easy to breed, and offers relatively high economic returns. So how much does it cost per jin on the market? How do you raise it? How big can it grow? It is reported that the pearl softshell turtle is a new variety introduced from the United States in recent years, with the main characteristic being fast growth and a relatively high market price. When bred in a greenhouse, male turtles gain weight more slowly, while female turtles gain 1500-2500 kg per year. On the Guangzhou market, this turtle sells for 60-70 yuan/500 grams. The Wattle-necked softshell turtle (Palea steindachneri) is a national second-class protected animal; its reproduction rate is poorer than that of the Chinese softshell turtle, but it grows fast and commands a relatively high market price. In recent years, the commercial price of the Wattle-necked softshell turtle has remained stable at around 170 yuan/500 grams. However, the seedlings are rather expensive, and a breeding license is required to raise them.
How do you raise a pearl softshell turtle?
1. Raising pearl softshell turtles is not difficult. The turtle's skin helps with respiration, which allows them to stay underwater for long periods. They are a highly aquatic species of turtle, so there is no need to set up a basking island in the tank. The water temperature should be kept between 24°C and 28°C, and heating is needed in winter. Pearl softshell turtles are pure carnivores; very small juveniles can be fed red worm, and larger ones can be fed small fish, small shrimp or lean meat. They rarely have the habit of basking their shells, and direct sunlight should also be avoided during raising.
2. Greenhouse conditions
One simple greenhouse for conventional softshell turtle farming, covering 405 sq m, containing 12 breeding ponds of 30 sq m each, 360 sq m in total, with a pond depth of 60 cm. The water source is abundant, water intake is convenient, the water quality is fresh, and there are no pollution sources nearby. One 1 kW oxygenation pump, with each pond equipped with 10 aeration heads.
3. Greenhouse cleaning and disinfection
Before the trial, facilities such as the greenhouse hot water pipes, oxygenation pipes and aeration heads were repaired and replaced, the cement ponds were cleaned and disinfected, and the greenhouse walls, walkways, etc. were also disinfected. The disinfectant used was trichloroisocyanuric acid.
4. Stocking of turtle juveniles
On September 13, 2004, 1400 American softshell turtles with an average size of 10 grams each were purchased and divided among 4 ponds, with 350 stocked per pond. Before stocking, the turtle juveniles were disinfected with seed essence. At stocking, the water level in the ponds was 10 cm; the disinfected hatchlings were placed at the pond edge and allowed to crawl into the water on their own.
5. Feeding management
(1) Temperature control: How do you raise a pearl softshell turtle? Throughout the entire breeding period, the water temperature was controlled at 30-31°C, and the air temperature was controlled at 32°C.
(2) Feed: How do you raise a pearl softshell turtle? Throughout the entire breeding period, hatchling turtle feed with a protein content of 46% was fed. The feed was made into soft pellets, with a particle size of 3 mm at the beginning and 6 mm in the later growth stage. It was fed underwater, with the feeding platform laid flat at a level 10 cm below the water surface, made of wooden boards. Feeding was done 3 times a day, with each feeding period controlled within 15 minutes.
(3) Water quality management: Depending on water quality changes, waste was generally discharged about once every 2 days, draining 2 cm each time, and new water was injected after discharge. As the turtles grew, the water level was gradually deepened, and after 2 months of breeding it was raised to the maximum water level of 40 cm.
(4) Disease prevention and control: Disease prevention and control adhered to prevention as the priority. Every half month, 20 g/m3 quicklime and 0.2 g/m3 trichloroisocyanuric acid were alternately splashed over the entire pond once. Due to improper pond-splitting operations, a bacterial infection once occurred and caused deaths; after feeding enrofloxacin mixed into the feed and disinfecting the water body with oxytetracycline, the disease was basically brought under control.
How big can a pearl softshell turtle grow?
Generally, under constant-temperature farming for two years, the largest can exceed 10 jin. The growth rates of males and females differ greatly. They reach sexual maturity in 4-5 years, and each one can lay 16-28 eggs per clutch, with an incubation period of 75 days.