Selecting and rearing loach fry is the foundation of successful farming

Loach fry are the young of the loach, generally referring to newly hatched fry and small-sized fry a few centimeters long; they are the first link in loach farming. The fry are tiny, similar in appearance to adult loaches, with barbels around the mouth and a body surface covered in mucus, and they are quite sensitive to changes in water temperature and water quality.

Common artificially farmed loach fry mainly come from varieties such as the native loach and the large-scale loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus), and some fry are obtained through artificial induced spawning and hatching. By size, they are generally divided into newly hatched fry and inch-long fry about one cun long; different sizes require different stocking densities and rearing requirements.

When selecting, it is best to choose fry that are vigorous, swim agilely, have normal body color and uniform size, and to avoid individuals that are injured, deformed, or slow to react after being out of water. Before the new fry are put into the pond, they should be acclimated so that the transport water temperature gradually approaches that of the pond water, reducing temperature-shock stress and helping to raise the survival rate after stocking.

Loach fry can be stocked in various water bodies such as ponds, rice fields and net cages. In rice-field farming, fry are generally released after the rice seedlings turn green; during the fry stage, the water should be kept clear and moderately fertilized to provide natural food for the fry. Daily feeding is mainly with suitable fine-particle feed, in small amounts and frequently, to avoid leftover feed polluting the water.

During the fry stage the constitution is delicate, and sudden changes in water temperature, deterioration of water quality or improper feeding can all trigger diseases such as fin rot and enteritis, so daily management should focus on prevention, with regular water changes and observation of the fry. Only with good fry-stage management can the later adult loach farming go more smoothly.