Analysis of Key Technical Points for Intensive Culture of Thai Marble Goby
Essentials of Intensive Culture of Thai Marble Goby
To successfully culture Thai marble goby, one must possess a complete and mature set of culture techniques and integrate this entire set of techniques into daily management and throughout the entire culture process, so as to achieve high and abundant yields and obtain ideal economic benefits.
□Text by Zhong Musheng
The Thai marble goby belongs taxonomically to the order Perciformes, suborder Gobioidei, family Eleotridae, genus Oxyeleotris, also known as the marbled sleeper goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata), and is a relatively large species within the suborder Gobioidei. Because of its delicious flesh, high nutritional value, and great market potential, it is currently an excellent culture species among freshwater fish.
The culture methods for Thai marble goby include three types: supplementary stocking, mixed culture, and monoculture. Intensive culture of Thai marble goby is a high-yield culture method that utilizes ponds with abundant water sources for high-density culture. The growth cycle of the marble goby is longer than that of other freshwater fish. From fry rearing (8-10cm) to sale as market-size fish generally requires 8-10 months, and its growth rate is affected by the type of feed, stocking density, culture method, and daily management. Therefore, to successfully culture Thai marble goby, fish farmers must possess a complete and mature set of culture techniques, integrate the techniques into daily management, and apply them throughout the entire culture process to achieve high and abundant yields and obtain ideal economic benefits. In order to better promote the development of this excellent species, the Thai marble goby, combined with the author's nearly ten years of culture experience, the intensive culture techniques for Thai marble goby are summarized and compiled here for reference by industry professionals.
I. Pond Conditions
Although the Thai marble goby has preferences for its growing environment, its requirements are not high, and generally an old fish pond can be used for culture after slight modification. However, if the water surface is too small, the unstable culture water body will affect its growth; if the water surface is too large, management difficulty increases and operations become inconvenient. To achieve high-density, high-yield and abundant intensive culture, it is best to choose a pond with abundant water sources, no seepage, strong water retention capacity, a culture water surface of 3-5 mu, and a water depth of 1.8-2m.
II. Thorough Pond Clearing
When clearing the pond, it is best to keep a small amount of water (about 20cm). Use 100 kg of quicklime per mu of water surface, emulsify it and mix with water, then evenly splash it over the entire pond while hot. On the second day, use an iron rake to turn over and plow the pond bottom. On the fifth day, add 30cm of water, then evenly splash 5mg/L trichloroisocyanuric acid over the entire pond once; on the eighth day, add 30cm of water, and on the twelfth day release the fry (test the water). After releasing the fry, add water once every five days, 20cm each time, until the maximum water level is reached.
III. Stocking Density
According to one's own culture conditions and culture level, generally controlled at around 3000-4000 fish/mu.
IV. Releasing Seedlings
For the seedlings, select purebred fry with obvious marbling, pure body color, preferably a body length of about 10cm, uniform and neat size, no injuries, no deformities, and no diseases. When releasing the fry, choose a cool and clear morning. When releasing the fry, the fish body must be disinfected by medicinal bath. The specific method: prepare a wide-mouthed bucket or large basin at the pond side, containing 30 jin of water and 0.7-0.9 jin of table salt, and wait for it to fully dissolve. Use a vegetable basket to count 200 fry, cover it mouth-to-mouth with another vegetable basket, and place it into the salt water to soak. When they can no longer endure it and start jumping, take out the vegetable basket containing the fry and slowly place it into the fish pond. Repeat this until completed.
V. Bait
The Thai marble goby is a carnivorous fish. Currently there are four sources of bait: (1) pure chilled fresh fish (cut into small pieces with a meat slicer); (2) chilled fresh fish (ground into minced meat with a meat grinder) plus eel feed; (3) pure release of mud carp fry and seedlings; (4) mixed release of chilled fresh fish plus eel feed and mud carp fry and seedlings. According to years of culture experience, the staged feeding method of the fourth type has the better effect. Therefore, the fourth feeding method is highlighted here.
After releasing the seedlings, start feeding on the third day. The bait is a mixture of chilled fresh fish and eel feed, with a ratio of 9:1 (the better standard is that the bait minced meat does not scatter when reaching the water). From 3-10 days, feed an amount equal to 1% of the fish body weight at around 5 PM. Feeding method: scatter in a raindrop pattern along 3 meters around the pond edge. After ten days, feed an amount equal to 2% of the fish body weight daily at 7 AM and 5 PM, twice a day, scattered in a raindrop pattern along 3 meters around the pond edge. Starting from the second month, release an appropriate amount of low-value live mud carp fry, forming a feeding method based mainly on chilled fresh fish mixed feed and supplemented by live animal bait.
After 4 months, gradually increase the release amount of live mud carp fry, and at the same time change the scattering of chilled fresh fish mixed feed along the pond edge to fixed-point feeding, forming a feeding method with chilled fresh mixed feed and live animal bait in equal proportion. Feeding method for mixed bait: set up a feeding table every 8m or so along the pond edge. The feeding table can be made from 60-mesh netting and iron wire into a feeding trap with a diameter of 60cm and a height of 10cm, used to hold the bait. Feed an amount equal to 2% of the fish body weight at 7 AM and 5 PM twice a day. At the same time, pay attention to observing the feeding status of the marble goby on live bait (mud carp fry). When live bait (mud carp fry) is insufficient, release it in a timely manner.
After 6 months of culture, reduce the chilled fresh fish mixed feed to 1% of the fish body weight, once a day, fed at 5-6 PM. At the same time, release a sufficient amount of live mud carp seedlings, forming a culture process based mainly on live animal bait and supplemented by chilled fresh fish mixed feed. During this period, pay attention to observing the feeding status of the marble goby on live animal bait (mud carp seedlings). If insufficiency is found, supplement in a timely manner to ensure there is a sufficient amount of live mud carp fry bait for it to feed on, maintaining this until the end of the entire culture period.
VI. Grading
Because the Thai marble goby is somewhat lazy and inactive by nature and slow to feed, the growth rates among individuals vary greatly. In addition, it has the habit of cannibalism. Therefore, during its entire culture period, it must be graded (separated) at least once. When grading, to avoid sunburn, it is best to carry out the operation during the cool weather of September-October. Due to its physiological peculiarity, its scales have very sharp barbs, and a slight carelessness can easily cause scale loss. Therefore, when grading, operate carefully to avoid causing injury. After the grading process is completed, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5 mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5 mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water over the entire pond once.
VII. Water Quality Treatment
Perform technical water exchange twice a month, that is, drain while filling (convection time 4-5 hours), maintaining the original water level. Every 3 months, scatter quicklime powder along within 4m of the pond edge once, ensuring water transparency is above 30cm. This can also kill and remove moss along the pond edge and provide local disinfection, achieving three benefits at once.
VIII. Heat Preservation and Freeze Prevention
The Thai marble goby is a subtropical fish and has poor low-temperature tolerance. When the water temperature is 22°C, its feeding amount decreases noticeably; at 19°C, it basically stops feeding; at 14-15°C, it suffers from cold and moves to the edge (pond edge); at 12-13°C, there is frostbite; at 10-11°C, severe frostbite; 9°C is the lethal water temperature. In actual culture, we should take 18°C water temperature as the culture critical point. This critical point, not to mention the north, should be taken seriously even in Guangdong and Guangxi. Therefore, in mid-to-late November, before the water temperature reaches 21°C, the winter shed must be covered well to avoid unnecessary losses.
IX. Daily Management
Because water transparency is high and the marble goby likes shade and fears light, for ponds without pipes laid on the pond bottom, the aquatic plants along the pond edge need not be removed if they do not affect bait placement, as this is beneficial for the marble goby to inhabit and prey on live animal bait. Persist in patrolling the pond morning and evening. When snakes, rats, and large frogs are found, capture and kill them promptly, and drive away water birds. The feeding traps used for feeding must be taken out every day to clean and sun-dry, and problems found should be solved promptly.
X. Disease Prevention and Control
The causes of disease in cultured fish are mostly the massive reproduction of pathogenic bacteria (pathogens), whose bacterial flora and density reach a considerable level; the same is true for parasitic pests. When the number of pathogens is very small, even if they invade the fish body, they will not cause disorder of the fish body's immune function and lead to disease. The traditional concept of disease prevention and control is three parts prevention and seven parts treatment; for aquaculture, it should be seven parts prevention and three parts treatment. The Thai marble goby has a relatively strong immune function against diseases. The most direct and basic cause of disease in the marble goby is that our daily management and technical level are not yet up to standard, and we have failed to suppress the massive multiplication and proliferation of bacterial flora (pathogens) throughout the entire culture process and eliminate them in the bud. Here, several common diseases and pests of the Thai marble goby and their prevention and treatment methods are introduced.
(1) Trichodiniasis
Prevention: When releasing fry, use a 3% table salt solution for medicinal bath.
Treatment: Use a mixture of 0.7mg/L copper sulfate and ferrous sulfate (5:2), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning when there is no wind or a slight breeze.
(2) Chilodonelliasis
Prevention: When releasing fry, use a 3% table salt solution for medicinal bath, or use a potassium permanganate solution for medicinal bath.
Treatment: Use a mixture of 0.3-0.4mg/L copper sulfate and potassium permanganate (5:2), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning when there is no wind or a slight breeze.
(3) Sessile ciliate disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. The drugs and methods used are the same as for chilodonelliasis.
Treatment: On the first day, the method is the same as for trichodiniasis; at noon on the second day, use fresh water for 5 hours of convection, maintaining the original water level. On the third day, use a mixture of 0.3-0.4mg/L copper sulfate and potassium permanganate (5:2), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning when there is no wind or a slight breeze.
(4) Dactylogyrus, Pseudodactylogyrus, and Gyrodactylus disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. A 18mg/L potassium permanganate solution or a 10mg/L trichlorfon solution can be used for a 15-minute medicinal bath.
Treatment: Use a mixture of 0.3mg/L crystalline trichlorfon with a content of 90% and sodium bicarbonate (1:0.6), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning.
(5) Print disease and red-skin disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. The measures are the same as the water quality treatment above. Once a month, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water over the entire pond once.
Treatment: First use a microscope for microscopic examination to see whether there are parasites. If there are parasites, use corresponding drugs to kill the parasites. After 24 hours, use fresh water for 5 hours of convection. On the next day, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L trichloroisocyanuric acid mixed with water over the entire pond, and at the same time feed medicated bait mixed with oxytetracycline for 4-5 days.
(6) Gill inflammation and gill mold disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. The measures are the same as the water quality treatment. Once a month, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water over the entire pond once.
Treatment: First use a microscope to examine whether there are parasites. If there are parasites, use corresponding drugs to kill the parasites. After 24 hours, use fresh water for 5 hours of convection. On the second day, use water mold remover mixed with water and evenly splash it over the entire pond. On the third day, use benzalkonium bromide mixed with water and evenly splash it over the entire pond. At the same time, feed medicated bait mixed with norfloxacin for 4-5 days.
(7) Algae damage
All culture ponds inevitably experience the occurrence of what is commonly called blue-green algae. The massive occurrence of blue-green algae is extremely harmful to the culture of Thai marble goby. Therefore, in daily management, the culture water body should be kept fresh. If a large amount of green algae that is somewhat shiny green is found rising over the entire pond surface (peak period), at noon use a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water and evenly splash it over the entire pond once. If it is too serious (clumped into piles), then choose a time when a slight breeze blows it to one corner of the pond, and use a mixed solution of 0.5ppm copper sulfate plus high-concentration trichloroisocyanuric acid (dissolve separately and then mix) for local high-concentration splashing, continuously splashing for two days.
□Text by Zhong Musheng
The Thai marble goby belongs taxonomically to the order Perciformes, suborder Gobioidei, family Eleotridae, genus Oxyeleotris, also known as the marbled sleeper goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata), and is a relatively large species within the suborder Gobioidei. Because of its delicious flesh, high nutritional value, and great market potential, it is currently an excellent culture species among freshwater fish.
The culture methods for Thai marble goby include three types: supplementary stocking, mixed culture, and monoculture. Intensive culture of Thai marble goby is a high-yield culture method that utilizes ponds with abundant water sources for high-density culture. The growth cycle of the marble goby is longer than that of other freshwater fish. From fry rearing (8-10cm) to sale as market-size fish generally requires 8-10 months, and its growth rate is affected by the type of feed, stocking density, culture method, and daily management. Therefore, to successfully culture Thai marble goby, fish farmers must possess a complete and mature set of culture techniques, integrate the techniques into daily management, and apply them throughout the entire culture process to achieve high and abundant yields and obtain ideal economic benefits. In order to better promote the development of this excellent species, the Thai marble goby, combined with the author's nearly ten years of culture experience, the intensive culture techniques for Thai marble goby are summarized and compiled here for reference by industry professionals.
I. Pond Conditions
Although the Thai marble goby has preferences for its growing environment, its requirements are not high, and generally an old fish pond can be used for culture after slight modification. However, if the water surface is too small, the unstable culture water body will affect its growth; if the water surface is too large, management difficulty increases and operations become inconvenient. To achieve high-density, high-yield and abundant intensive culture, it is best to choose a pond with abundant water sources, no seepage, strong water retention capacity, a culture water surface of 3-5 mu, and a water depth of 1.8-2m.
II. Thorough Pond Clearing
When clearing the pond, it is best to keep a small amount of water (about 20cm). Use 100 kg of quicklime per mu of water surface, emulsify it and mix with water, then evenly splash it over the entire pond while hot. On the second day, use an iron rake to turn over and plow the pond bottom. On the fifth day, add 30cm of water, then evenly splash 5mg/L trichloroisocyanuric acid over the entire pond once; on the eighth day, add 30cm of water, and on the twelfth day release the fry (test the water). After releasing the fry, add water once every five days, 20cm each time, until the maximum water level is reached.
III. Stocking Density
According to one's own culture conditions and culture level, generally controlled at around 3000-4000 fish/mu.
IV. Releasing Seedlings
For the seedlings, select purebred fry with obvious marbling, pure body color, preferably a body length of about 10cm, uniform and neat size, no injuries, no deformities, and no diseases. When releasing the fry, choose a cool and clear morning. When releasing the fry, the fish body must be disinfected by medicinal bath. The specific method: prepare a wide-mouthed bucket or large basin at the pond side, containing 30 jin of water and 0.7-0.9 jin of table salt, and wait for it to fully dissolve. Use a vegetable basket to count 200 fry, cover it mouth-to-mouth with another vegetable basket, and place it into the salt water to soak. When they can no longer endure it and start jumping, take out the vegetable basket containing the fry and slowly place it into the fish pond. Repeat this until completed.
V. Bait
The Thai marble goby is a carnivorous fish. Currently there are four sources of bait: (1) pure chilled fresh fish (cut into small pieces with a meat slicer); (2) chilled fresh fish (ground into minced meat with a meat grinder) plus eel feed; (3) pure release of mud carp fry and seedlings; (4) mixed release of chilled fresh fish plus eel feed and mud carp fry and seedlings. According to years of culture experience, the staged feeding method of the fourth type has the better effect. Therefore, the fourth feeding method is highlighted here.
After releasing the seedlings, start feeding on the third day. The bait is a mixture of chilled fresh fish and eel feed, with a ratio of 9:1 (the better standard is that the bait minced meat does not scatter when reaching the water). From 3-10 days, feed an amount equal to 1% of the fish body weight at around 5 PM. Feeding method: scatter in a raindrop pattern along 3 meters around the pond edge. After ten days, feed an amount equal to 2% of the fish body weight daily at 7 AM and 5 PM, twice a day, scattered in a raindrop pattern along 3 meters around the pond edge. Starting from the second month, release an appropriate amount of low-value live mud carp fry, forming a feeding method based mainly on chilled fresh fish mixed feed and supplemented by live animal bait.
After 4 months, gradually increase the release amount of live mud carp fry, and at the same time change the scattering of chilled fresh fish mixed feed along the pond edge to fixed-point feeding, forming a feeding method with chilled fresh mixed feed and live animal bait in equal proportion. Feeding method for mixed bait: set up a feeding table every 8m or so along the pond edge. The feeding table can be made from 60-mesh netting and iron wire into a feeding trap with a diameter of 60cm and a height of 10cm, used to hold the bait. Feed an amount equal to 2% of the fish body weight at 7 AM and 5 PM twice a day. At the same time, pay attention to observing the feeding status of the marble goby on live bait (mud carp fry). When live bait (mud carp fry) is insufficient, release it in a timely manner.
After 6 months of culture, reduce the chilled fresh fish mixed feed to 1% of the fish body weight, once a day, fed at 5-6 PM. At the same time, release a sufficient amount of live mud carp seedlings, forming a culture process based mainly on live animal bait and supplemented by chilled fresh fish mixed feed. During this period, pay attention to observing the feeding status of the marble goby on live animal bait (mud carp seedlings). If insufficiency is found, supplement in a timely manner to ensure there is a sufficient amount of live mud carp fry bait for it to feed on, maintaining this until the end of the entire culture period.
VI. Grading
Because the Thai marble goby is somewhat lazy and inactive by nature and slow to feed, the growth rates among individuals vary greatly. In addition, it has the habit of cannibalism. Therefore, during its entire culture period, it must be graded (separated) at least once. When grading, to avoid sunburn, it is best to carry out the operation during the cool weather of September-October. Due to its physiological peculiarity, its scales have very sharp barbs, and a slight carelessness can easily cause scale loss. Therefore, when grading, operate carefully to avoid causing injury. After the grading process is completed, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5 mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5 mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water over the entire pond once.
VII. Water Quality Treatment
Perform technical water exchange twice a month, that is, drain while filling (convection time 4-5 hours), maintaining the original water level. Every 3 months, scatter quicklime powder along within 4m of the pond edge once, ensuring water transparency is above 30cm. This can also kill and remove moss along the pond edge and provide local disinfection, achieving three benefits at once.
VIII. Heat Preservation and Freeze Prevention
The Thai marble goby is a subtropical fish and has poor low-temperature tolerance. When the water temperature is 22°C, its feeding amount decreases noticeably; at 19°C, it basically stops feeding; at 14-15°C, it suffers from cold and moves to the edge (pond edge); at 12-13°C, there is frostbite; at 10-11°C, severe frostbite; 9°C is the lethal water temperature. In actual culture, we should take 18°C water temperature as the culture critical point. This critical point, not to mention the north, should be taken seriously even in Guangdong and Guangxi. Therefore, in mid-to-late November, before the water temperature reaches 21°C, the winter shed must be covered well to avoid unnecessary losses.
IX. Daily Management
Because water transparency is high and the marble goby likes shade and fears light, for ponds without pipes laid on the pond bottom, the aquatic plants along the pond edge need not be removed if they do not affect bait placement, as this is beneficial for the marble goby to inhabit and prey on live animal bait. Persist in patrolling the pond morning and evening. When snakes, rats, and large frogs are found, capture and kill them promptly, and drive away water birds. The feeding traps used for feeding must be taken out every day to clean and sun-dry, and problems found should be solved promptly.
X. Disease Prevention and Control
The causes of disease in cultured fish are mostly the massive reproduction of pathogenic bacteria (pathogens), whose bacterial flora and density reach a considerable level; the same is true for parasitic pests. When the number of pathogens is very small, even if they invade the fish body, they will not cause disorder of the fish body's immune function and lead to disease. The traditional concept of disease prevention and control is three parts prevention and seven parts treatment; for aquaculture, it should be seven parts prevention and three parts treatment. The Thai marble goby has a relatively strong immune function against diseases. The most direct and basic cause of disease in the marble goby is that our daily management and technical level are not yet up to standard, and we have failed to suppress the massive multiplication and proliferation of bacterial flora (pathogens) throughout the entire culture process and eliminate them in the bud. Here, several common diseases and pests of the Thai marble goby and their prevention and treatment methods are introduced.
(1) Trichodiniasis
Prevention: When releasing fry, use a 3% table salt solution for medicinal bath.
Treatment: Use a mixture of 0.7mg/L copper sulfate and ferrous sulfate (5:2), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning when there is no wind or a slight breeze.
(2) Chilodonelliasis
Prevention: When releasing fry, use a 3% table salt solution for medicinal bath, or use a potassium permanganate solution for medicinal bath.
Treatment: Use a mixture of 0.3-0.4mg/L copper sulfate and potassium permanganate (5:2), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning when there is no wind or a slight breeze.
(3) Sessile ciliate disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. The drugs and methods used are the same as for chilodonelliasis.
Treatment: On the first day, the method is the same as for trichodiniasis; at noon on the second day, use fresh water for 5 hours of convection, maintaining the original water level. On the third day, use a mixture of 0.3-0.4mg/L copper sulfate and potassium permanganate (5:2), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning when there is no wind or a slight breeze.
(4) Dactylogyrus, Pseudodactylogyrus, and Gyrodactylus disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. A 18mg/L potassium permanganate solution or a 10mg/L trichlorfon solution can be used for a 15-minute medicinal bath.
Treatment: Use a mixture of 0.3mg/L crystalline trichlorfon with a content of 90% and sodium bicarbonate (1:0.6), and evenly splash it over the entire pond in the morning.
(5) Print disease and red-skin disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. The measures are the same as the water quality treatment above. Once a month, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water over the entire pond once.
Treatment: First use a microscope for microscopic examination to see whether there are parasites. If there are parasites, use corresponding drugs to kill the parasites. After 24 hours, use fresh water for 5 hours of convection. On the next day, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L trichloroisocyanuric acid mixed with water over the entire pond, and at the same time feed medicated bait mixed with oxytetracycline for 4-5 days.
(6) Gill inflammation and gill mold disease
Prevention: Carry out comprehensive prevention and keep the culture water body fresh. The measures are the same as the water quality treatment. Once a month, evenly splash a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water over the entire pond once.
Treatment: First use a microscope to examine whether there are parasites. If there are parasites, use corresponding drugs to kill the parasites. After 24 hours, use fresh water for 5 hours of convection. On the second day, use water mold remover mixed with water and evenly splash it over the entire pond. On the third day, use benzalkonium bromide mixed with water and evenly splash it over the entire pond. At the same time, feed medicated bait mixed with norfloxacin for 4-5 days.
(7) Algae damage
All culture ponds inevitably experience the occurrence of what is commonly called blue-green algae. The massive occurrence of blue-green algae is extremely harmful to the culture of Thai marble goby. Therefore, in daily management, the culture water body should be kept fresh. If a large amount of green algae that is somewhat shiny green is found rising over the entire pond surface (peak period), at noon use a mixture of 0.5mg/L copper sulfate and 0.5mg/L dichloroisocyanuric acid (bromochlorohydantoin) mixed with water and evenly splash it over the entire pond once. If it is too serious (clumped into piles), then choose a time when a slight breeze blows it to one corner of the pond, and use a mixed solution of 0.5ppm copper sulfate plus high-concentration trichloroisocyanuric acid (dissolve separately and then mix) for local high-concentration splashing, continuously splashing for two days.