What conditions are needed for sea cucumber farming? Key points explained
The sea cucumber is a treasure of the ocean; it is not only a valuable food ingredient, but also a precious medicinal material. As people's economic level rises, the demand for sea cucumbers grows larger and larger, and wild sea cucumbers have long been unable to meet market demand, which is one reason why sea cucumber prices have remained high. So if you want to farm sea cucumbers artificially, what basic conditions are required? Follow along as we take a brief look below.
1. Hydrological conditions
Sea cucumbers have relatively high requirements for hydrological conditions, especially water quality; if water quality does not meet the standard, sea cucumber farming is doomed to fail. First, we should choose an estuary or outlet far from pollution; second, the ammonia nitrogen content in the seawater should be low, the salinity of the seawater should be around 25 to 35, and the dissolved oxygen in the water should reach 5 mg/L or more. These are the most basic hydrological requirements. Next, harmful substances in the farming water body should be lower than the national water quality standard. Also, build dams reasonably according to tidal conditions; observe precipitation and rainwater catchment area to prevent land-based fresh water from entering the farming pond. Finally, understand the local seawater temperature changes to decide the depth of the pond water.
2. Artificial reefs
Reefs are also an indispensable condition in sea cucumber farming, and most of us use artificial reefs. Reefs mainly provide sea cucumbers with a place to rest, play, live and feed. The reefs we most commonly use are generally stone reefs, cement pipe reefs, plastic pipe reefs and tile reefs; the way we build different reefs is also different (for specific building methods, please consult). Besides these commonly used artificial reefs, some other reefs are also acceptable, such as hollow bricks, cement boards, waste tires, abalone cages, ceramic pipes, bamboo baskets, etc.; these can all be used as reefs.
3. Terrain and bottom substrate
The terrain and bottom substrate of the farm are also very important. Generally speaking, a sea cucumber farm is not chosen in places with large wind and waves; the best are relatively gentle inner bays and coasts, such as rocky reefs coasts, low-lying saline-alkali land and intertidal zones, which are all excellent farming sites. Next, when building the farm, we also need to consider natural disaster issues such as wind shelter and flood avoidance, so as to ensure the farm can operate smoothly. Finally, there is the issue of bottom substrate; it is best to use plots with rocky reefs, rubble, or silt or fine sand as the bottom, so that the farming pond can have sufficient bearing capacity.
4. Biological environment
The biological environment mainly refers to the sea cucumber seedling base and the presence of pests and competing organisms. First, the place where we build the sea cucumber farm should have artificially bred seedlings, because sea cucumbers are not suitable for long-distance transport, so it should be convenient to purchase seedlings; this is one point in the biological environment. Second, we need to understand the impact of local aquatic organisms on sea cucumbers, rule out areas with high risk, and choose areas rich in bait; this is another point in the biological environment.
The above four conditions can be said to be indispensable before farming sea cucumbers, and these conditions are also the most basic conditions for sea cucumber farming. If, when preparing to farm, you cannot meet these four basic conditions, the success rate of sea cucumber farming will be reduced to a great extent. If you want to learn about sea cucumber farming techniques, you can also follow us.