CATFISH FARMING BUSINESS
HOW TO
DETERMINE THE QUANTITY OF FEED REQUIRED TO FEED A FISH FROM STOCKING TO HARVEST
As a rule, the size of fish you should raise is dictated by
market requirements or demand. The Nigerian market for example value catfish
sizes which ranges from 500 grams (0.5 kg) to 2,000 grams (2 kg). However, it is
fish sizes of 800 grams and above that attracts higher value and farm gate
price per kilogram of fish. Thus, while the farm gate price for a fish weighing
one kilogram (1 kg) is about five hundred Naira (N500) or more as the case may
be, two or three fishes collectively weighing one kilogram is sold for as low
as between N400 and N450 per kilogram weight. As a result of this inconsistent
pricing, it is therefore advisable for you to manage your stocking and feeding
rate appropriately in order for you to attain bigger fish size at harvest.
Following the common practice, for you to get a fish weighing
about one kilogram at harvest you need to apart from getting your stocking rate
right (see recommended stocking rate) , also feed each fish with at least one
kilogram of feed, from stocking to harvest. Therefore for every 100 catfishes
stocked, you need to feed them with between 100 kilograms and 111 kilograms of
feed. This will eventually translate to fish weighing 900 grams and 1kg
respectively.
For many farmers this feeding rate is unaffordable. As such
you can opt for a more pocket friendly rate of 4.5 (four and half) or 5 (five)
bags of feed weighing 15kg each per 100 fishes. This amounts to 67.5kg or 75
kilograms of feed for 100 fishes. At an average feed conversion ratio of 1 kg
feed to 0.9 kg fish, what you should expect is a total fish weight of about
60.75kg or 68kg at harvest for every 100 fishes fed with either 67.5kg or 75 kg
of feed at a recommended feeding rate of 4.5 or 5 bags of feed per 100
catfishes. This will translate to 45 bags or 50 bags of feed per 1000
catfishes.
However, if you want to improve on the total weight of your
fish, you can feed them with available supplementary feedstuff such as animal
offal (fish, poultry and animals intestines and other body parts). Please note
that all offal to be fed to your fish must be cut to size and cooked slightly,
to prevent disease outbreak.
FEED
CONSUMPTION CHART
The feed consumption chart is a feeding guide that shows you
in advance the number of bags or kilograms of feed you may need to feed your
fish on a monthly basis. The feed consumption chart as shown here is designed
for different feeding rates. Depending on how deep your pocket is, you may
decide to adopt the feeding rate of 45 bags (675kg), 50 bags (750kg) or 67 bags
(1000kg) of feed per 1000 fishes stocked. As earlier mentioned, the chart is
only a guide. You should use it to manage the feeding process. For instance, they
may not be able to consume all the feeds allocated for the first and second
month of stocking, but as from the third month and particularly from the fourth
month, they may consume and even exceed the quantity earmarked for those
months. Thus by the time of harvest they should have consumed all the bags of
feed indicated for the quantity of fish stocked and for the recommended feeding
rate you have adopted. To start with, when feeding, you should ensure that the
fishes are fed to satiation (to a point when they no longer rush the feed) but
do not over feed them. Do not just dump all the feed you want to give them into
the water at once, feed them either as they eat or give them a little and move
on to the next pond or tank and come back to the starting point to give them
more feed if they have exhausted the feed earlier given to them. Do this
continuously until they are all tired of eating. As soon as you notice that
there is still feed in a pond or tank after going round, do not feed that tank
or pond again. It is an indication that they are tired of eating. Of course as
the day passes by, they should be eating slightly more feed but if they eat
less, then something is wrong. You should then try and find out.
TABLE
SHOWING MONTHLY FEED CONSUMPTION CHART PER 1000 FISH STOCKED, AT THE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDED
FEEDING RATE OF 45 BAGS, 50 BAGS AND 67 BAGS
MONTHS NO. OF BAGS
1st 2 2 2
2ND 4 4 4
3rd 6 7 8
4TH 9 10 13
5th 11 12 17
6th 13 15 23
TOTAL 45 50 67
This table explains the feed allocation for every 1000 catfish
stocked based on a recommended feeding rate of 45 bags ((675kg), 50 bags
(750kg) and (67 bags) of feed per 1000 fishes. For example, if you use floating
feed and follow the recommended stocking rate and other management parameters,
you should be able to harvest a total fish weight of about 675 kg from the 1000
fish stocked and fed with 750 kg of feed. Please note that the average feed conversion
ratio for most floating feed is not less than 1kg feed to 900g (0.9kg) fish weight.
You can use this as a basis for determining the performance of the fish. It is wrong
to judge the performance of your fish based on the numbers of fishes stocked.
It should be based on the quantity of feed they are fed with. This is one of
the main reasons why you should have a record of the quantity of feeds bought
and fed to your fish from stocking to harvest.
APPLICATION
OF THE FEED CONSUMPTION CHART
The feeding chart will help you to know from the beginning the
quantity of feed that is required for the proposed quantity of fishes that you
want to stock. Furthermore, it will also help you to know the quantity of feed
they will require on a monthly basis so that you can prepare adequately to
replenish your feedstock beforehand. You can plot your feeding chart to reflect
the monthly feed requirement for the fishes at a glance.
Another very good aspect of the feed consumption chart is that
it can also help you to know in advance the total weight of fish you should
expect to harvest, relative to the quantity of feed fed to the fish. Like
earlier mentioned, if your stocking rate is right and you follow all other
recommended water and fish management parameters, the minimum average floating
feed conversion ratio is 1kg feed to 0.9kg (900grams) fish.
By floating feed one is mindful to say that this assertion does
not cover all floating feeds. Coppens, Multifeed, Ziglar feed and Vital feed
are some of the floating feeds being referred to. This is however without
prejudice to other floating feeds, local and foreign, which the author has not used
and as such cannot speak for or against. You can try them out on your own; they
might even give you better results.
The table below shows the minimum expected total weight of
fish to expect at harvest, relative to the total quantity (in kilograms) of
feed fed to the fish and not the quantity of fishes stocked.
The tables below show the quantity of feed in bags and in kilograms
that is required to feed the equivalent numbers of fishes(at different
recommended feed consumption rates) from stocking to harvest as well as the
expected total weight of fish at harvest.
TABLE SHOWING TOTAL FEED REQUIREMENT FOR DIFFERENT QUANTITY
OF FISHES STOCKED AT A CONSUMPTION RATE OF 45 BAGS PER 1000 FISH STOCKED AND
EXPECTED TOTAL WEIGHT OF FISH AT HARVEST.
|
QUANTITY OF
FISH STOCKED
|
MINIMUM
REQUIRED
BAGS OF
(15KG) FEEDS
|
MINIMUM
REQUIRED KILOGRAMS
OF FEED
|
MINIMUM
EXPECTED TOTAL
WEIGHT OF
FISH AT
HARVEST (KG)
|
|
100
|
4.5
|
67.5
|
60.75
|
|
500
|
22.5
|
337.5
|
303.75
|
|
1,000
|
45
|
675
|
670.5
|
|
3,000
|
135
|
2,025
|
1,822.5
|
|
5,000
|
225
|
3,375
|
3,037.5
|
Once again, contrary to popular opinion of most catfish farmers,
it is quantity (weight in kilograms) of feed fed to your fish that matter the
most at harvest and not the quantity of fishes stocked. The total weight of
fish that you harvest at the end of the day is a reflection of the total quantity
(weight) of feed that you gave them, less 10% of the feed weight. this is why
you need to keep record of the feed you bought and gave to them. This will help
you to compare notes.
HOW TO
DETERMINE THE FEED CONVERSION EFFICIENCY, FEED CONVERSION RATIO AND GROWTH RATE
OF YOUR FISH WHAT IS FCE & FCR
As a fish farmer, there are two important parameters that you
can use to determine the performance of your fish and the feed you are using to
feed them, these two parameters are Feed Conversion Efficiency, FCE, and Feed
Conversion Ratio, FCR. Food conversion efficiency, FCE is the ability of the
fish to convert the feed eaten to body flesh or weight, while feed conversion
ratio, FCR is the difference between the actual quantity of feed eaten by the
fish and the equivalent weight it gained over a given period of time; for example,
from stocking to harvest. The FCE is dependent on the quality of the fish,
(fingerlings/ juveniles) stocked and the condition or environment it is raised
while the FCR is primarily a function of the quality of the feed and to some
extent the quality of the fish, (fingerlings/juveniles) stocked and the
condition or environment it is raised. A good percentage of every quantity of
feed given is expected to be converted by the fish into body weight. However
while in some cases this might be the case, in many others, this is not. Hence
it is very important for you to monitor the growth rate, food conversion
efficiency and food conversion ratio of your fish, right from the beginning; this
is how to go about it. “How to determine the fish growth rate” The growth rate
is an expression of the feed conversion efficiency and feed conversion ratio.
The feed conversion ratio in particular gives you an idea as to what to expect
at harvest. Ordinarily, it should be consistently not less than 0.9; and how do
you ensure this? Beginning from the first day of feeding, take a record of all the
feed you bought and fed to them up to the day of harvest and sales. The record
here relates to the quantity (weight) of feed bought and their cost price over
time. This is a very important aspect of commercial catfish farming as it will
enable you to determine whether you made profit or loss. On a monthly basis,
you can get a sample population of your fish. To determine the food conversion
efficiency and food conversion ratio of the fish, divide the total weight in
kilogram of the feed given to them within the month by the real weight gained
by the fish within the month. If the figure obtained is 0.9 or below, the FCE
is high and FCR low. For example you bought 2,000 catfish juveniles with an average
weight of 8g and a total weight of 16,000 grams: 2000 X 8 (16 kg) and after 1
month of stocking and feeding with 15kg, (15,000 grams) of feed, a sample
population of 100 fish weighing 1400 grams (1.4kg) fishes were collected and
based on calculations (1400g ÷ 100) a new average weight of 14g was recorded.
The FCR will now be calculated thus Initial estimated total weight = 2, 000 x
8g
= 16,000g or 16kg
Current estimated total weight = 2, 000 x 14g
= 28,000g or 28kg
Current Estimated weight gain = 28,000g – 16, 000g = 12,000g
FCR = Food Quantity
Fed = 15,000g / Estimated Weight Gained 12,000g
= 1.25: 1
Or for easy understanding: 12,000 ÷ 15, 000 = 0.8: This figure
paints a picture of 1kg feed being converted to 0.8kg
(800g) of fish weight On the other hand, the figure, 1.25: 1,
means that for every 1.25kg of feed consumed by the fish, they were able to convert
it to only 1kg of weight of flesh or fish weight. This is fair but it did not
meet the minimum expectation. As such it needs to be improved upon. For most
floating feeds, the projected FCR is between 1 to 1 and 1.11 to 1. That is between
1kg feed weight to 1kg fish weight and 1.11 kg feed weight to 1kg fish weight.
You should strive to attain this by following the laid down recommendations in
the manual. If the above monthly calculation is not feasible for you, you may
decide to opt for the post-harvest calculation of your FCE; and this is how to
go about it. Before you stock your fingerlings/juveniles, pour them in a sieve
to drain water from them. Thereafter, weigh them on a scale, write down the
figure obtained on your record book and pour the fish into the rearing
tank/pond. Beginning from the first day of feeding, take a record of all the
feed you bought and fed to them up to the day of harvest and sales. In order
for you to determine the FCE, you should first deduct the fish weight you
recorded prior to stocking from the total weight obtained at harvest. There after
divide this figure with the total quantity of feed that you fed them. What you
get is a reflection of the performance of both the fish and the feed given
them.
Ordinarily, following the recommended or standard feed conversion
ratio of most feed; especially floating feed, any figure you obtain that ranges
from 0.9 to 1.0 is assumed to be good; and this should be your target. Anything
below 0.9 is not good. Please note that one very importance of this calculation
is that right from beginning it will provide you with vital information that
may determine the direction and eventual outcome of your investment.
Irrespective of the figure obtained on a monthly basis, you should keep on
improving on it, by working on the major factors that determine the FCE &
FCR.
HOW TO
IMPROVE THE FCE & FCR
Ø Make sure
that your water is not at any time polluted; that is smelling
Ø Your water
pH should be between 6.5 and 9. If lower, add sodium bicarbonate to the water
Ø Reduce your
stocking rate by 20%. Spread fish to other empty tanks/ponds
Ø In addition to a 70% water change every 2 days,
do water flow through rate each next day after the water change at rate of 2 litres
per minute for 3 - 5 hours.
Ø Make sure that the feed crude protein level is
within the earlier recommended range. Add good growth promoters like superliv,
fish premix, spirulina, etc. to the feed if you are producing it by yourself.
Ø Minimize stress and eliminate conditions that
can lead to disease outbreak. Treat diseases before they become troublesome.
Ø Make sure that the fish is properly sorted and
graded.
Ø Enough quality feed should be provided and feeding
schedule maintained.
HOW TO
ENSURE GOOD HEALTH AND RAPID GROWTH FOR YOUR FISH
The cardinal objective of any commercial catfish farmer is to
raise fast growing fish that are at the same time healthy. This objective seems
easy but for the experienced farmer, it is not. There are a few but important
things that you must do; especially right from the beginning. Ordinarily, when properly
managed, the fish will be in good health and grow both uniformly and rapidly.
In order to ensure these, the following has to be taken care of. Spacing.
Higher than necessary stocking rate can only guarantee one thing and that is
failure. The fish need adequate space to grow well and be in good health.
Therefore, as a beginner, you need to take seriously the recommendation
stocking rate for fish tank, cage and pond. Ordinarily, it ranges from 5.5
fishes per square foot (at 1 foot water depth or better still 1 cubic foot)
fishes for tanks and troughs/vats to 3 fishes for medium to large earth ponds
Sorting and
Grading: Sorting and grading should be done at least twice; at the
end of the first month of stocking and at the end of third month of stocking. Others:
Water change should be regular and as recommended.
Ø Feeding
time, quantity and strategy should be adhered to
Ø Feed fish
with a feed whose crude protein content is not less than 40% for the first
three months and should not be less than 30% by the sixth (6th) month.
Ø Snack meals
such as animal wastes should be parboiled and given at intervals if available
Ø If you are
compounding your own feed, adequate growth promoters such as methionine, lysine,
fish premix etc. should be added to the ingredients
Medication:
this is another important factor that should not be over looked. Most
fish coming from hatcheries are disease carriers; and as such, they will not
grow well, irrespective of their feeding. Besides, when there are adverse
conditions in your fish tank/pond, they might easily fall prey to disease
outbreak. In medicating your fish, there are options that you can chose from
but each has its own advantage and peculiarity. Water medication is much common
but not as effective as feed medication. Whichever the option, there are
procedures that you must follow to make your treatment effective. Meanwhile,
the treatment has to take place within the first one to two weeks after stocking.
SUCCESS
SECRETS IN CATFISH FARMING
WHAT YOU
MUST DO TO MAKE PROFITS IN CATFISH FARMING. WHAT, WHEN AND HOW TO FEED
What to feed. For the first two months of stocking, it is advisable
to feed them with extruded (floating) feed. Both locally made and imported ones
are available nationwide. If it is fingerlings start with a feed size of
1.2-1.5mm, post fingerlings and juvenile, should be fed with 2mm size. Thereafter
the feed size should be increased to 3mm and 4mm as the fishes grow within the
first 2 months. If they are well spaced and fed, they should be able to eat a
feed size of 4mm by the beginning of the 3rd month of stocking. When to feed If
the fishes were stocked in the morning start feeding them from evening. If
stocked in the evening start feeding them the next morning. It is advisable to
feed them3 times daily, between the hours of 6 am and 8pm for tanks; 9am and
7pm for ponds and cages
How to feed, as a general rule, it is advisable not to
attempt to measure the quantity of feed given to them, This may either result
in under feeding or over feeding. The better option is to give them as much
feed as they can eat at a time. Their response to the food given to them will
tell you whether they need more or are satisfied. Feeding Strategy; a good
strategy is to feed heavy in the morning, light in the afternoon and slightly
heavy in the evening. When feeding, you should adopt a one spot feeing strategy,
with time, when they are hungry; you will see them hover around that spot.
However, while still feeding, you should throw a few feed at intervals far from
the spot to take care of those fishes that are smaller or weaker and thus may
not come to the feeding spot.
Feed
manipulation: In order to reduce feed cost while also achieving optimum
growth, you should adopt a combination of locally pelleted feed and floating
feed, with effect from the third month of stocking. The ratio should be 70/30
for the third month; 80/20 for the fourth month, 85/15 for the fifth month and
90/10 for the sixth month. The left part of the ratio is local or foreign
pelleted feed while the right hand is foreign or locally produced floating
feed. To determine the ratio, measure the quantity of feed to give them until
they are satisfied. If they consume all, use that as a basis for calculation.
If they eat less measure the balance and subtract. If they eat more Measure the
excess and add to the original weight. Use this measurement daily for the next two
weeks with a little addition or subtraction as they react to feeding. If for
example they consume 10kg a day, at three months old, the pellet/floating feed
ratio will now be 8kg/2kg.
How to
handle the feeding: - When feeding start with the pellets. Once they
exhaust it, give them the floating feed last. While feeding always observe their
behavior. If you notice anything strange, note it and seek explanation or solution
to such behavior. Please note that from the first day of stocking the quantity
of feed given to them on a daily basis should be recorded and they must be fed
to satisfaction.
WHEN AND
HOW TO CHANGE WATER
Water change is most commonly done in fish rearing tanks. It
is a rare phenomenon in a fish pond and cage. In the case of pond this is only
necessary when there is water pollution or disease outbreak. In the case of a
fish pond you need to drain about 90% of the pond water and pump in fresh water
from a well, bore hole or a safe pond. In the case of a cage, all you need to
is to use soft brush to scrub the sides of the cage and possibly shift the
position regularly. Fish tank water change. For the 1st and 2nd month of stocking
you need to change 50% and 80% respectively of the tank water twice weekly. In
addition, you could also do a daily three hourly water flow through. In the 3rd
and 4th month, it should be 80% thrice weekly. In addition to this, do
a daily three hourly flow through, while in the 5th and 6th month, it should be
100% every two days and a daily three hourly flow through.
WHAT YOU
MUST DO TO MAKE PROFITS IN CATFISH FARMING CATFISH TANK/POND WATER MANAGEMENT OPTION
If you are operating the farm on a purely commercial basis, then
you need to adopt the flow through water management option or the semi-stagnant
water management option for fish rearing tanks. As for ponds it could be the
water topping option, water flow through option, tidal flooding and drain or
water plant option. However if it is a semi- subsistence and semi-commercial
venture and you do not have enough water to play with, you can adopt the
stagnant water option for both the tank and pond system. If you live in the
rural area where there is abundance of streams, rivers or lakes, you could
adopt the cage culture system.
FISH
TANK/POND/CAGE PREPARATION FOR STOCKING
Like earlier mentioned your pond or tank or cage must be fully
ready for stocking before you bring in the fish for stocking. With the
exception of block/concrete tanks, all other new tanks need just washing,
filling with water and addition of salt to condition the water at least a day
before stocking. For a start the water volume should not be less than half the
full depth of the tank. Subsequently, it should be raised to a maximum water
level of 1ft the brim of tank for all tanks; whether covered or not. As for new
concrete/ block tanks the procedure has already been stated.
Liming of
Ponds: For ponds, once a new
pond is constructed, you should first determine the pH of the pond
Water: There
after apply calcium carbonate (agric lime) at a rate of 70-100g/m 2 of pond
space for a pH range of 5.5 -
4.0 And 40 -70g/m 2 for pH range of 6.5-5.5, in that order. This
process has to be repeated once a year after harvest and pond dressing.
Fertilization
of Ponds: The main purpose of pond fertilization is to condition the
pond to make it conducive for fish to survive and grow. It is also meant to
help stimulate the growth of planktons (microscopic plants and animals) that
will serve as natural food for the fishes. When fertilizing you should combine
organic manure (poultry droppings) with inorganic manures (fertilizers NPK) at
a rate of 20 grams/m 2 of organic manure and 2g/m 2 of fertilizers;
Please note that you must allow the pond water to stay for up
to one week after liming before you fertilize. Allow another one week after
fertilization before you stock your fish.
Cages: Once
constructed, the cage should be lowered into the pond, stream, river or lake.
The bottom of the cage should be at least 6 inches from the bottom of the pond,
river, stream or lake. The position where it is situated should be accessible
by leg or boat or canoe for easy management. Finally it should be tied to
stakes if is a floating cage.
WHAT AND
HOW TO STOCK: You have an option of fingerlings (4 -5cm), post
fingerlings, (6-7cm) and juveniles (9-11cm) to stock from. It is advisable to
stock post fingerlings or Juveniles but if you have to stock fingerlings then
you need to first stock them in a holding tank, pond or cage where they will
grow to the size of post fingerlings in 2 weeks and juveniles in 3-4 weeks.
Stocking post fingerlings or juvenile reduces the high level of cannibalism
experienced within the first month of stocking of fingerlings. You should stock
based on the stocking rate earlier recommended. But first, you must determine
the size of each tank, pond or cage; count the equivalent number of fish
required and stock. If the place is not shaded, the best time to stock is early
in the morning or evening. Meanwhile before stocking, count about 100 randomly
picked fishes and determine their weight (total weight), using a scale and record
this figure. Thereafter divide this figure with 100 and the result will give a
rough average size (weight) of the fishes stocked. This figure is very
important because it will enable you to determine the fish growth and how well
they are utilizing the food given to them. This process has to be repeated
every two weeks until they are harvested. Details
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