Key Technical Points and Methods for Loach Cage Culture

Cage culture of loach has the advantages of simple equipment, high yield per unit area, convenient management, easy harvesting, and significant economic benefits. It is a practical breeding technique worth promoting. The techniques for cage culture of loach are introduced as follows:

Site Selection

The culture site should be selected in wind-sheltered, sun-facing shallow waters at the edge of lakes or reservoirs, or in ponds with running water, with good water quality and no industrial pollution.

Cage Setup

The size of the cage can vary, with small ones measuring 1—2 sq m and large ones 20---40 sq m; generally, 10--20 sq m is suitable. The cage body is made of polyethylene woven mesh, with a mesh size of 0.5 cm—1.0 cm. The cage height depends on the culture water body, but the upper half of the cage must extend more than 40 cm above the water surface to prevent loach from escaping. The bottom of the cage must reach the mud, with a 20 cm thick layer of manure and soil spread on the bottom, and the topmost layer being soil.

Fry Stocking

The stocking density of loach fry in cages should be determined by water conditions. More can be stocked if the water is fertile and flowing; otherwise, less. Generally, 900--1200 fry of 5-6 cm are stocked per sq m.

Feeding Management

Cage culture of loach mainly relies on artificial feeding. A 2 sq m feeding platform should be set up inside the cage, 20—25 cm above the pond bottom, and the bait should be placed on the platform when feeding. Artificial bait can be dough-like feed made from bran, silkworm pupae, and earthworms, or artificial compound hard pellet feed. Animal protein should account for more than 50% in the artificial compound feed. The daily feeding amount should be 3%--5% of the loach's body weight, fed three times a day: morning, noon, and evening.

Routine Management

Regularly scrub and clean the mesh to maintain water permeability inside and outside the cage, and allow sufficient bait organisms to enter the cage. At the same time, frequently check the mesh and repair any holes immediately. In addition, prevent pollution from pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and invasion by harmful organisms.

Disease Prevention and Control

Routinely carry out fish disease prevention and control. Adhere to the "four fixed" principles when feeding, promptly remove leftover bait from the feeding platform, and regularly splash quicklime or hang bleaching powder bags. Method for hanging bleaching powder bags: wrap bleaching powder in two layers of gauze and hang around the feeding platform, 2--3 bags at a time, which can effectively prevent disease outbreaks.

Escape Prevention

Nowadays, more and more people are using cages to raise loach, which has become a major feature of loach farming. However, preventing escape in cage loach culture is what farmers should pay most attention to.

1. Loach escape will cause severe economic losses, and there is no way to remedy it.

2. Loach escape will cause loach to get sick. This is because during the escape process, harmful organisms may enter the cage or the loach may collide, leading to bacterial infections and other issues.

3. To prevent loach from escaping, the cage should be checked promptly and any holes repaired immediately. At the same time, to prevent loach from escaping and harmful organisms from entering the cage, the cage should be equipped with a cover and other anti-escape facilities.