What are the two ways loaches overwinter?

       The management of loach in pond culture during autumn and winter should follow these points:

1. Feed in time to fatten them up. Loaches can feed when the water temperature is above 10°C. When the water temperature is above 20°C, it is the key period for fattening, so feed them fully; when the water temperature is above 15°C, loaches still feed quite actively, so feeding should not be relaxed; when the water temperature is 10-15°C, feed at least once a day. During this period, increase the proportion of animal-based feed and mix in a small amount of compound amino acids and multivitamins to improve the loach's feed utilization rate. When the water temperature is below 10°C, if loaches still float up to forage at noon on sunny days, keep feeding them a small amount.

2. Build a warm shed for cold protection and warmth. When the water temperature is below 10°C, loach growth gradually slows until it stops, and artificial cold protection and warmth can relatively extend the loach's growth period. The specific method is: when the water temperature is around 15°C, insert bamboo poles around the loach culture pond to form an arched frame, and cover it with transparent plastic film to build an artificial warming shed. This ensures normal light while effectively slowing heat loss, and can extend the loach's growth period by more than a month. It is suitable for popularization and application in smaller ponds.

3. Take measures for safe overwintering. In open-air ponds that overwinter naturally, when the temperature drops below 10°C in November each year, loaches begin to stop feeding and gradually enter the overwintering dormant period. There are two natural overwintering methods for loaches in open-air ponds. One is dry-pond overwintering: after the loaches stop feeding, drain the pond water, and after the loaches enter the mud at the bottom of the pond, cover the mud surface with a 15-20 cm thick layer of straw bags or crop straw to keep the bottom mud moist and unfrozen. Do not pile the covering too densely, to prevent the loaches from suffocating to death. When the mud is relatively dry, the covering can be pulled open and sprinkled with water to moisten it; do not sprinkle water on top of the covering. The second is deep-water overwintering: before the loaches enter the overwintering period, raise the pond water level to about 1 m, allowing the loaches to burrow into the underwater mud to hibernate and overwinter. During overwintering, pay attention to the water level and replenish water in time to prevent the loaches from freezing to death due to too shallow water. If the pond water freezes, break the ice manually in time to prevent the loaches from suffocating due to lack of oxygen from long-term ice cover. (Jia Baoling)