Pond farming, in comparison with other branches of fish farming, is the most profitable and progressive direction. This type of business specializes not only in the breeding and sale of aquatic inhabitants, but also in the sale of their planting material. Beginning entrepreneurs should study the very structure of production and draw up a clear and realistic business plan. You can get acquainted with all the nuances of fish farming by reading our article. If all the recommendations are followed, the profit from the business will be obvious.
Feasibility of fish farming
Pond farming is an economical way to use water and land resources. It involves comprehensive planning and arrangement of a private territory. The value of fish farming in the first place is that customers will be able to regularly receive fresh and tasty products. More recently, the composition of the aquatic inhabitants was not so numerous. In local ponds there were only such individuals as crucian carp, carp and rainbow trout. The introduction of polyculture served to expand the species quantity of fish. Together with carp, herbivorous individuals - grass carp and silver carp - were grown. As well as pike and crucian carp.
The practical importance of pond farming is great, since it allows a farmer to get considerable profit and to provide the population with high-quality valuable products in a timely manner.
The main advantages of fish farming
The creation of artificial reservoirs has several advantages:
- fish farming directly in the regions of its consumption allows for active sales of products;
- there is an opportunity to grow individuals for the most optimal period;
- there is no need to process products, therefore, the cost of additional construction of enterprises is reduced;
- the geographically advantageous location of the ponds excludes the delivery of products over long distances;
- an opportunity to breed fast-growing individuals;
- the joint content of several species allows to significantly increase the catch;
- in Russia, fresh fish is a sought-after product from which various dishes have long been prepared.
A business plan is important!
Those who have decided to engage in fish farming need to understand that the organization of a pond farm involves some risks and is expensive. You need to include in your business plan all the smallest details, including possible losses.
A novice fish farmer should start with a choice of freshwater species that he plans to grow in a home reservoir. This involves a thorough study of their biological characteristics, development cycles, common diseases. For starters, it is better to purchase unpretentious breeds that are in demand among the population (trout, carp).
The second step in organizing a business will be to find a suitable location. For the construction of the pond itself, you need to find a site with dimensions that allow you to dig a hole of 1 ha. However, such a decision will cost too much. As an option - you can buy a destroyed reservoir, previously used for fish farming.
It can also be ready-made reservoirs used in agriculture for irrigation of fields or providing livestock farms. Owners of such lands will be able to expand their farms and create a source of additional income.
It is advisable to choose a territory with a well-developed infrastructure. It is more advantageous when pond fish farms are located near settlements and have access roads.
Determination of the location and size of the pond allows us to think about the estimated amount of food for the fish. All possible expenses for the purchase of feed should be described in detail.
The plan can include activities that can provide additional income: paid fishing, various types of recreation, and others.
The construction of artificial reservoirs
Based on your capabilities and the geographical location of your area, you need to choose one of two options for arranging a reservoir.
Creating a pond with a dam. The base for the fish farm can be a natural source - a spring or stream. The easiest way is to establish a dam in the water channel or create a dam. If we devote a special place for the dam, where rain and external waters will subsequently collect, then with their active movement it will be possible to construct a barrier at the most optimal point in the water flow.
Arranging an artificial pond from scratch involves digging a hole. It is important to follow the following recommendations:
- First of all, you need to pay attention to soil composition and water quality. Construction in wetlands and sandy areas is associated with additional difficulties. The bed for an artificial reservoir will have to be laid out from reinforced concrete.
- It is better to have springs, springs or groundwater nearby that could supply the pond with natural tributaries. You must immediately set out to find and clear them.
- The site for the construction should be freed from snags and stumps. It is also necessary to uproot all trees and shrubs in order to avoid further siltation of the bottom.
- The bottom should be flat, without flaws and depressions, because sludge can accumulate in the lowlands, which will later adversely affect the inhabitants of the reservoir.
- Dig the hole with the calculation for the drain channel. With this design, it will be easier to carry out work that will have to be carried out regularly. This includes cleaning sludge, drying and filling the reservoir with new water. Descent buildings give a good increase in freshwater and less often swampy.
- Mandatory is the presence of a pit for catching fish, it is placed next to the hole for the release of water in the center.
Types of ponds
The biological characteristics of freshwater and their susceptibility to the environment led to the conditional separation of the pond fish farm. The main types include: cold-water and warm-water. The first method is preferred if the zone of fish pond farming is located in the northern and central regions of the country. In the southern regions, the technology of warm-water breeding of individuals is practiced.
Fish farming systems
There are two types of fish farming technologies: full-system pond farms and non-full-system ones.
The starting point of the full cycle of the production process is working with fish eggs, leading to the final result - bringing the product to the dining room condition. This includes several activities:
- maintenance of breeding producers;
- hatching resistant larvae;
- growing yearlings (three-month-old summertime fish);
- keeping fish in winter;
- growing freshwater to marketability.
Incomplete farms are either engaged in the cultivation of planting material, or in the cultivation of marketable fish. A fish farmer can organize his nursery and sell one-year-old fish, fry, fingerlings and larvae.
Types of Ponds
To conduct a full pond farm requires several specialized reservoirs:
- Spawning. With the obligatory presence of vegetation into which fish spawn, their depth is 0.5 m. To create suitable conditions, ponds are filled with water only during the spawning period, and then it is drained. Caviar throwing starts in mid-May and lasts for a month.
- Growing up. They are used for growing the younger generation, shallow (about 1.7 m). Malkov run in the middle of summer.
- Nurseries. A mother reservoir intended for keeping producers until the time of their transfer to winter pits.
- Winter. Before placing individuals for wintering, treatment is carried out using special medications. After the formation of the ice layer, ice holes are made in several places, which are covered by an insulating litter. Winter maintenance requires you to constantly monitor the catch of dead fish.
What should be the water?
Fish are considered to be active consumers of oxygen when breathing. There are individuals that can live in oxygen-enriched water. Nevertheless, experienced fish farmers recommend creating conditions for productive inhabitants of the highest class. This greatly accelerates the biological processes in fish. They multiply much faster, grow and gain weight.
When the oxygen content is below 0.4 mg per liter of water, freshwater dies. This means that fish pond farming cannot be ignored. In summer, aquatic vegetation comes to the rescue, which saturates the pond with oxygen. In winter, water must be aerated to prevent a sharp drop in this compound, which is vital for fish. The optimal amount of oxygen per liter of water is 6 mg. It is important to ensure that the water is clean.
It is necessary to periodically take water for analysis to the hydrochemical laboratory. This should be done before starting the fish in the pond. It is extremely important to check the level of hydrogen sulfide, minerals, carbon dioxide and methane. Sometimes it is necessary to mineralize the soil with lime, as well as getting rid of excessive vegetation.
Fish species
In pond farms, fish are grown that feel good in running cold water enriched with oxygen. It includes pike, trout, omul, salmon, burbot and grayling.
Heat-loving rocks require less oxygen. They can live in conditions of protected water and the presence of a high content of organic matter. The group of heat-loving inhabitants of the ponds includes: catfish, carp, common carp, grass carp, silver carp, silver carp, sturgeon, tench.
Introduction of new technologies allows to grow some species of herbivorous fish together with carp.
Feeding
In some pond farms, automatic feeding of fish is practiced. Auto feeders are installed in constant places at the same distance. Manual feeding is carried out according to the same principle.
The daily feed rate ranges from 3 to 8% relative to the live weight of the fish. Depending on the intensity of the breeding method and species characteristics of the fish, the dose of fats, plant components and protein is calculated.
Overfeeding the inhabitants of the pond affects them as badly as the lack of specific nutrients.
Outbreak Prevention
A great risk in the pond economy is represented by epidemics. Most often, the fish is ill with rubella, branchomycrosis and is infected by E. coli.
To reduce the death of aquatic inhabitants, a timely inspection is required. For monitoring, several individuals are caught monthly and checked for various diseases. If an infection is detected, the diseased fish is transferred to an isolated place. In such a situation, you must immediately call a veterinarian and carry out all medical and preventive measures.
Good housekeeping
The main negative factor in fish ponds is the duration of the development of individuals to complete maturation. For example, trout or carp grows two and a half years. Carps ripen in the autumn season, so the peak of sales increases at this time of year. Some fish farmers practice overexposure to achieve the greatest commercial success. However, there is a probability of loss of living material up to 15-16%.
Conclusion
Freshwater breeding technology is an interconnected and rather complex process. Here, both in-depth knowledge of theory and practical farming skills are important. Good profit can be obtained only with all the features of the technology. If you are a beginner businessman and have not yet decided on the type of entrepreneurial activity, then there is reason to pay attention to fish farming. At present, pond farming in our country is of considerable importance and is included in the category of the most progressive areas. Due to the deteriorating environment, industrial catches of fish are significantly reduced. Artificial ponds help provide the population with a valuable product, which is a sought-after ingredient in cooking.