How much do freshwater grouper fry cost? Detailed guide to farming methods
Freshwater grouper is a fish of the genus Cichlasoma in the family Cichlidae. It grows quickly, tolerates low oxygen, has strong disease resistance, and is attractive in appearance, with delicious meat and rich nutrition. It can serve both as a food fish and as an ornamental fish species. At present, its farming scale is also growing larger, and it is gradually becoming a new variety for freshwater aquaculture. Let us take a look together below at freshwater grouper fry prices and farming methods!
How much does a freshwater grouper fry cost?
The price of freshwater grouper fry is about 0.3 to 0.8 yuan per fry, but prices vary greatly depending on fry size, variety, quality, market, and purchase quantity. Newly hatched freshwater grouper larvae have a total length of 0.58 to 0.6 cm. After hatching at a water temperature of 26 to 28 degrees C, the yolk sac disappears on the 6th day. After 1 month of rearing, the body length reaches about 10 cm, and they can be stocked into ponds for grow-out. In Taiwan, China, during summer, fry with a body length of about 10 cm are stocked into ponds, and after 6 to 8 months of farming they can reach 500 grams, with a maximum body weight of up to 1200 grams.
Fry rearing of freshwater grouper
1. Pond clearing and disinfection: For freshwater grouper fry rearing ponds, earthen ponds are best, with a single pond area of 50 to 100 cubic meters and a water depth of 1 to 1.5 m. Before stocking the fry, drain the pond water, thoroughly clear the pond and disinfect it with quicklime, and fertilize the water quality so that the fry can eat natural food as soon as they are stocked.
2. Fingerling stocking: Before stocking freshwater grouper, test the water first. The size of fish stocked in the same pond should be consistent. Density depends on food, technical level, and target rearing size, generally 100 fry per cubic meter. Before the fry enter the pond, soak the fish body in salt water for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Water quality management: During freshwater grouper fry rearing, factors such as fertilization and feeding easily degrade water quality. For this reason, change the water once every 3 to 5 days, with each water change amounting to 1/4 of the pond water. Some aquatic plants can also be transplanted into the pond to purify the water quality and provide shelter and feeding convenience for the fry.
4. Screening and separate rearing: When there are large differences in the growth size of freshwater grouper fry, because they have the habit of eating the small, they should be screened and separated in time for rearing. The fry in the same pond should be kept as uniform in size as possible so as not to affect the survival rate of the fry.
Farming methods for freshwater grouper
1. Pond preparation: The bottom of the freshwater grouper farming pond is sandy, and the surrounding waters are pollution-free. The area is about 7 mu, and the water depth must be more than one meter. Some water pipes, tires, or cobblestones can be laid on the bottom because freshwater grouper has the habit of burrowing into holes.
2. Fry stocking: When freshwater grouper is stocked in small numbers in ponds as a mixed culture, about 22 to 50 fish are stocked per mu of water surface. When freshwater grouper is the main cultured fish, tilapia, grass carp, crucian carp, and others can be mixed in, with 150 to 200 freshwater grouper stocked per mu of water surface.
3. Feed selection: The protein content of artificial compound feed for freshwater grouper is 35 to 40%, animal protein should be above 25%, and other plant protein raw materials can be added. Generally, the feed conversion ratio can reach between 0.8 and 1.2.
4. Fry feeding training: When freshwater grouper reaches more than 3 cm, minced fish can be placed on a feeding tray for feeding training. After 2 to 3 days, add a small amount of artificial compound feed mixed with minced fish and feed it, then gradually increase the proportion of artificial compound feed until artificial compound feed is used entirely.
5. Feed feeding: The daily feeding amount for freshwater grouper is about 20% of the fish body weight, usually fed 3 times a day. During the rearing period, artificial compound feed is fed, and fresh tender forage grass can also be fed. When there is insufficient zooplankton in the pond, an appropriate amount of additional fertilizer is needed to cultivate zooplankton.
Disease prevention and treatment of freshwater grouper
1. Tail rot disease
[Harm] The fin bases of diseased fish become congested, with the caudal fin, pelvic fin, and pectoral fin being the most severe. Body color fades, and local swelling and ulcers appear on the sides of the body. In severe cases, the mortality rate can reach as high as 90%.
[Prevention and treatment] Soak and wash with tetracycline or oxytetracycline, 4 to 10 minutes each time, for 2 to 3 consecutive times, or splash furazolidone over the whole pond once a day for 3 consecutive days.
2. Gill rot disease
[Harm] The gills of diseased fish are pale red, the ends of the gill filaments are congested, and local gill tissue becomes necrotic and whitish. In severe cases, the tissue rots and cartilage is exposed.
[Prevention and treatment] Splash sodium dichloroisocyanurate over the whole pond. For prevention, use 15 to 20 kg of quicklime per mu at a water depth of 1 m and splash it over the whole pond.
3. White spot disease
[Harm] Irregular white spots appear on the body surface of diseased fish. In severe cases, the white spots connect into patches. Mucus on the fish body surface and gills increases, swimming becomes slow, breathing becomes difficult, and the fish often float on the water surface.
[Prevention and treatment] Soaking the diseased fish in freshwater for 2 to 4 minutes can kill the pathogen, or soak the diseased fish in copper sulfate for 2 hours, for 2 to 3 consecutive days.
4. Vibriosis
[Harm] The body color of diseased fish fades, and local swelling and ulcers appear on the body surface. It mostly occurs from April to November, with April to June being the most severe, and the mortality rate can reach more than 90%.
[Prevention and treatment] Soak with antibacterial drugs such as nitrofurazone for 3 to 5 minutes, or orally administer Yuxia Zhuangyuan mixed into feed at 3 to 5% and feed for 5 to 7 days.