Grouper Farming: Pay Attention to Water Quality Management and Scientific Feeding

Grouper farming refers to aquaculture activities in which grouper is the target species for artificial breeding, fry rearing and grow-out culture. Grouper has delicate, tender flesh and high economic value, making it one of the important marine aquaculture fish in coastal areas. Common farmed species include the orange-spotted grouper, giant grouper and tiger grouper.

Grouper is a warm-water fish and is relatively sensitive to water temperature, so attention must be paid to insulation and cold protection during low-temperature seasons; it is generally suitable for rearing in seawater or brackish water. It has a fierce temperament, and cannibalism occurs among fry, so grading and separate rearing should be carried out in a timely manner to avoid losses caused by excessive size differences among individuals.

Currently, common farming methods include pond culture, offshore cage culture and industrialized recirculating aquaculture. Cage culture is mostly set up at bay mouths with good shelter conditions, which facilitates daily management; recirculating aquaculture relies on water treatment equipment to stabilize water quality and can reduce dependence on offshore and groundwater resources, and is considered a relatively sustainable development direction.

The focus of daily management is concentrated on two aspects: water quality and feeding. Grouper is relatively sensitive to dissolved oxygen and ammonia nitrogen, so the water body should be kept clean and water changed reasonably; feeding should preferably be done at fixed times and in fixed amounts, using palatable compound feed or frozen fresh bait to prevent leftover bait from spoiling the water quality. Disease prevention and control should focus on prevention, with attention to fry selection and daily observation, and the promotion of scientific drug use and healthy farming.

With the growth in market demand for high-quality seafood, grouper farming occupies an important position in the coastal fishery economy. Promoting ecological farming models, controlling farming density and reducing drug use are the main ways to improve product quality and achieve sustainable operation.