Questions You Need To Answer To Determine the Performance of Your Fish Farming Business

Millions of new companies are started up each and every year and in most countries over 90 % of those new companies never survive beyond the first year of starting up. Why? Because many fail to understand the fundamentals of a true business. No matter how large or small your fish farming business is, you cannot gauge the effectiveness of any changes you’ve made over the year without analyzing the benefits and bottom line. You must take a step back from your business from time to time to see the direction in which your business is heading…. don’t just think because orders are coming in for fish that all is well with your business. Here are 10 simple questions you ought to the know the answers to as the owner of the business: How do your year-to-date in your sales compare to the last couple of years in your fish farm? Don’t be satisfied if you managed to match them because if sales stayed the same then you’ve achieved zero growth. With inflation, this flat growth line is a warning sign for more trouble down the road. What percentage of your fish farming business is from repeat customers? This is important to know because if it’s too low, then it needs to be improved. The estimated cost of getting a new customer versus retaining an existing one can be as much as five to one in terms of dollars spent. Keeping customers is more cost-effective than constantly seeking new ones. How long has it been since you offered a new service in your fish farm to your customers? Loyal customers like to see you are changing and progressing with the times. If you’re stuck for an idea, ask your customers what they need. Do you consider marketing and advertising expenses or investments? How you look at the money spent in these areas affects your willingness to spend money at all. Would you look at prescriptions as a waste of money? Marketing is really investing in you, your vision, and your company. The old adage that you must spend money to make money is true, but you must spend it wisely. Spend it on ads that are pulling responses and orders, and if they’re not maybe you need to change publications. Do you know what PR is and how to use it to positively position your business in the media? I’ll bet that at least one of your competitors does. Nearly every mention of a company or business in the newspapers and magazines is a direct result of publicity efforts. Being quoted or featured in an article speaks volumes to your clients and readers who are your potential prospects. A good PR consultant can do that for you and show you ways to extend the shelf life of that article beyond its publication. Are you listed in the yellow pages? If you only have a line listing, consider including a small ad in the yellow pages. If you can afford it, it will pay dividends throughout the year. Do you threat your regular customers better than your drop- ins? You shoul!!! If your customers don’t feel special when coming to you for your products of services, why should they remain loyal to you? Have a customer appreciation day or a special invitation only sale for your regulars. Create a mailing list of your regulars. Send occasional post cards or greeting cards for special events or just to keep in touch. Learn to recognize them on sight and greet them by name when they visit you. How long has it been since you really talked to one of your customers? Just as you appreciate when your Doctor takes time to talk to you, your customers will appreciate you if you take an interest in their needs. If you have a service business, have lunch or coffee periodically with some regulars – even if they only contact you once or twice a year. The personal touch in an impersonal world will be remembered. How is your business doing compared to your competition? Every company, no matter what the size, has competition – even home-based businesses. Are your competitors businesses growing or downsizing? Is their pricing or service better than yours? If so, what can you tell potential customers about the price difference? Think about how you can improve your service to meet or exceed your customer’s expectations. Are your employees happy? Don’t ask them directly, but observe them throughout the day. Watch, listen and learn. Employees who like their jobs don’t watch the clock for quitting time, aren’t habitually late, don’t have poor body language, don’t spend time on personal phone calls, and don’t look like they never smiled. Observe how they interact with customers. Not everyone is a match for direct contact with the public, so make sure you don’t have an employee who is driving business away.

How To Write A Fish Farming Business Plan

BUSINESS PLAN Mission Statement of Business State clearly in 2-3 sentences what you intend to do in business. 1. Executive summary a) Description of your proposed business 1) describe your product or business 2) support with diagrams, illustrations or pictures (if available) b) Summary of your proposed marketing method- design ponds or tanks to a size that all the fish produced could be marketed in one day. 1) describe the market you’re aiming for- look for value added, niche markets for catfish or tilapia. 2) outline the way you plan to reach your market – The fish farmers should seek to reach buyers through as many approaches as possible to provide the best profit, such as direct sales at the farm as well as through retailers. c) Summary of your financial estimates 1) state the total sales you aim to reach in each of the first three years 2) state the estimated profit for each of the first three years 3) state the estimated starting capital you’ll need 2.Statement of objectives a) Statement of the desirability of your product or service 1) describe the advantages your product or service has, its improvements over existing products or services 2) state the long-range objectives and the short-range objectives of your proposed business 3) describe your qualifications to run the business 4) describe the ‘character’ you want for your business, the image you’d like your customers to see, such as hygienic conditions of highest standard, live fish sales with cleaning and dressing of fish as per customer preference. For example, samples of cooked fish could be given to customers along with recipes. 3.Background of proposed business a) Brief summary of existing conditions in the type of ‘industry’ you’re intending to enter 1) where the product or service is now being used 2) how the product or service is now being used b) Detailed explanation of your place in the industry 1) describe the projections and trends for the industry 2) describe competition you face 3) state your intended strategy for meeting competition 4) describe the special qualities of your product or service that make it unique 4.Marketing strategy a) A description of your marketing strategy 1) design the farm with different sizes of ponds to meet different market demands and be able to sell all fish harvested from a particular pond. 2) describe the market you plan to reach 3) keep costs low with feeding of quality fish feeds by a feed manager who feeds by feeding response 4) under price the competition and make profit by tight management and low costs with lowest Feed Conversion Ratios. 5) describe in detail how you plan to distribute your product or service (retail shops, door to door, etc.) 6) describe the share of the market you expect to capture 5. Selling tactics a) An outline of the activities to be used in selling the product or service 1) state the methods you expect to use to promote your product or service (word of mouth, radio, newspapers, etc.) 2) include a sample brochure or other promotional literature 3) present any data which supports your ability to meet your sales goals (i.e. actual orders, potential customers, etc.) 4) explain the margins of safety you’ve allowed in your sales forecasts b) Propose entering different fish markets as in the North and SE, where prices remain high. 6.Plan of operation a) Description of the proposed organisation 1) show an organisation chart describing the needed business functions and relationships 2) describe the key positions and identify the persons to fill them 3) list equipment or facilities and the space and location required b) Farm pond operations 1) stagger pond stocking to allow one pond to be harvested per month, to maintain cash flow 2) manage to maintain low feed conversions and best management practices. 3) plan to purchase fingerlings and stock ponds every month to assure regular harvests 4) maintain proper storage of fish feeds without pests and moisture 5) practice proper sanitation programme of sterilizing tanks and liming ponds before restocking. 7. Supporting data a) Information required to support the major points in the business plan 1) a set of drawings of the product(s) to be made or a detailed description of the service to be offered 2) show a list of the equipment you’ll require for your business and estimates of the cost of that equipment 3) List the capital equipment you’ll need and its estimated cost. 4) List a price schedule for your product line or service 5) Include your market survey data (perhaps from your focus group) 6) supply the following financial data: – projected statement and balance sheet for the first two years by the month – Income statement for two years – cash flow projection for two years 8. Conclusions and summary a) statement of proposed approach in starting the new business 1) state the total capital you’ll need and the safety factor you’ve used 2) state how much profit you expect and when you expect to show it 3) decide what percentage of ownership you want for yourself and your partners 4) indicate the total capital you’ll need and how it’s to be made up: – your share of the starting investment – how much you’ll need from others and when you’ll need the money – state what share of the business you’ll give to investors or lenders 5) state your planned schedule for starting your business

Why Some Fish Farmers Succeed In the Fish Farming Business

1. Know their Market before Starting Fish Farming: Identify their business opportunities and markets beforehand. 2. Know the Market Demand: Tailor their production to meet the market requirements in a profitable and reliable manner. 3. Invest wisely, step-by-step. Start small and build up only if they are making profits. Do not think of expanding (build more ponds for production) if/when they realize they are making losses. 4. Seek Advice only from Proven, Qualified Advisors: Are particular about where they source advice from and whom they select as advisors. Select those with a proven track record, who have been vetted by professional organisations. 5. Do not cover up their mistakes but rather learn from them as well as from other farmers’ mistakes. 6. Keep and use their records as management tools. Track their expenditure and losses. 7. Follow recommended Best Management Practices. 8. Use the best feed locally available to them correctly; closely monitoring their Feed Conversions and cost. 9. Owners are Managers: Owners are involved in the running and/or management of the farm. 10. Market Driven Management: Invest and manage their farms based on the market opportunities and their resource limitations. 11. Proper siting of the farms and adopt appropriate production technology. 12. Sell their fish to the market as soon as they reach market size and appreciate turnover. 13. Honor promises to their customers, even if occasionally it means they may have to make a no-profit sale or replace fish at no charge. 14. Are able to analyze their farm data themselves and use the data they obtain to assess the farm’s production and economic performance. 15. Use their own data as the primary basis for making management and investment decisions.

Practical Management of Fish Seeds (Fry and Fingerling)

In fish life history, egg(fertilized) Larva fry fingerling sub- adult/juvenile adult. The larval stage ends when it fills up its air bladder with air, begins swimming in a fish-like manner and starts to eat external food that it becomes to fry. In addition to needing all the essential requirements of the larva e.g. adequate O2, suitable temperature, removal of waste matter etc, the fry also requires external food which should be adequate both qualitatively and quantitatively. The early fry may still have a part of the yolk left and can draw on it for sustenance from 1-4days depending on the species. The fry spends this period and learns to find its own food. Fry are said to require a more precise and careful nursing to ensure their survival and proper growth. Authors have remarked that lack of suitable food caused high fry mortality. Fingerling is bigger than fry e.g. 5-10cm and it is the stage that is usually stocked. Management of these developmental stages is based on their fragility and difference in sizes in terms of their habitats, stocking density, feeding and control of their infections and diseases. These stages are crucial because there cannot be harvest without recruitment. Hence, these stages are called fish seed or recruits. Fry are nursed in small earthen ponds which vary from 100-200m2 for about 3-4 weeks to attain fingerling stage. Fingerlings are reared rather than nursed in bigger earthen ponds. The pond is usually prepared to have a standing crop of rotifers and must be checked to exclude cyclopoid copepods which are natural enemies of fry. Food is crucial for growth which must be observed daily. Fry have two sources of food during the initial stage – yolk and external food to ensure better survival. Maintain these. It is part of the management that mixing of different age groups of same species should be avoided and it is advisable to use a monoculture of fishseed. The most commonly provided artificial feed is finely ground and sieved through 100-150µm mesh called starter food. After two weeks, the size of feed particles is increased. Cutting the grasses on the dyke and throwing them around the shallow part of pond helps to increase natural food production in the pond. After about one month, the young fingerling have to be removed from the small nursing pond and stock in a large pond. The artificial feeding continues but the size of food changes due to changes in the size of mouth. It is necessary to thin out the stock in order to provide sufficient space, O2, food to the fast growing fingerling. Enemies of these stages must be managed too. These enemies change with the age of the fish. These are categorized as (i) enemies of fry (ii) enemies of advanced fry and (iii) of fingerlings. Identify these enemies and treat adequately. For example enemies of fry include carnivorous Cyclops, insect and insect larvae (e.g. dragonfly), which predate largely on the fry. It has been stated that Cyclops are responsible for the highest mortality of fry at this stage next only to that caused by hunger. The advanced fry is less prone to predation by Cyclops since it is more agile and its skin in thicker and stronger. It is the insect larvae that pose greater danger at this stage followed by hunger if there is acute food shortage. O2 deficiency may kill in heavily manured ponds. Abrupt changes in temperature and extreme cold may exterminate the fry population. Enemies of the fingerling – Besides hunger, O2 deficiency, sudden change in temperature, white spot disease caused by Ichthyophthirius, Trichodina and gill worm infections could exterminate the entire stock within a brief period in fingerling ponds. Infection of a pond with any protozoan or bacteria or fungus can be diagnosed through certain indicative signs such as: (i)swimming of fry/fingerling in large school near the surface (ii) their accumulation below the water inlet (iii) the occurrence of dark specimens (iv) sudden occurrence of dead fish on the surface. It should pointed out that fish that die because of parasitic infection usually float on the surface while those that die due to dietary factors often remain at the bottom.

Fish Feeding Systems and Techniques

A feeding programme is successful when the required amount of nutritionally adequate feed is consumed. The feeding plan and techniques are affected by fish species and size, time of the year and the type of production system. The best guide for the fish farmer is to place the feed where it can be obtained by the fish, offer it so that the fish will receive their share/rations. Floating feeds can be broadcast mechanically from specially designed feeding troughs or from mechanical feeders. For small ponds, the feed can be distributed by hand (self feeder). Feeding of fry and small fingerling poses different challenges. The experienced fingerling producer knows where the young fish are located in the pond. He may use containers or shelters to attract or hold the newly-stocked fry in an area. Note that feed placed in wrong location will not be eaten and will reduce overall water quality. Mechanical feeders include the demand type which is activated by the fish and the automatic type which is activated by a time clock. Both have serious limitations, one of which is the tendency to less frequent observation of the culture system. The demand feeder is useful in extensive systems where fish do not have to be observed closely e.g. in lakes, reservoirs. The automatic feeder is designed to offer a measured amount of feed at predetermined time of the day.

Fish Feeding Systems and Techniques

A feeding programme is successful when the required amount of nutritionally adequate feed is consumed. The feeding plan and techniques are affected by fish species and size, time of the year and the type of production system. The best guide for the fish farmer is to place the feed where it can be obtained by the fish, offer it so that the fish will receive their share/rations. Floating feeds can be broadcast mechanically from specially designed feeding troughs or from mechanical feeders. For small ponds, the feed can be distributed by hand (self feeder). Feeding of fry and small fingerling poses different challenges. The experienced fingerling producer knows where the young fish are located in the pond. He may use containers or shelters to attract or hold the newly-stocked fry in an area. Note that feed placed in wrong location will not be eaten and will reduce overall water quality. Mechanical feeders include the demand type which is activated by the fish and the automatic type which is activated by a time clock. Both have serious limitations, one of which is the tendency to less frequent observation of the culture system. The demand feeder is useful in extensive systems where fish do not have to be observed closely e.g. in lakes, reservoirs. The automatic feeder is designed to offer a measured amount of feed at predetermined time of the day.

How To Manage A Fish Farm In Nigeria Successfully

a. the best manager is one who is also the owner of the farm and lives at the farm. b. team building is a management tool for the workers at the farm. Regular meetings should be held with staff to strengthen human capacity and create a team spirit. Each worker is important to the farm enterprise and this needs to be communicated to them. This management approach will contribute to improved management and hopefully prevent theft at the farm by employees. c. Sampling should be well organized with all equipment, scales, nets and record keeping materials on site before starting the sample. Samples should be carried out in the early morning hours when cooler temperatures prevail. Avoid stressing fish. d. When sampling fish, they should be graded, to maintain fish of a fairly uniform size in each pond. Shooters can be separated and stocked in a pond for fast growers. e. Fish to be transported need to be held in tanks for 2 days without food to condition them for transport. f. Handling of fish should always be done in water in buckets. Tubs can be used to hold water and fish can be counted and sorted using plastic hampers with holes which are positioned in the tubs with water. When fish are to be weighed, the hamper with fish is lifted out of the water and the fish can be quickly weighed in the hamper without water; the hamper weight is tared prior to counting and sorting the fishing. The fish are then returned to water. g. Harvest of fish should be easy on a well-managed farm. All equipment, nets, buckets, tubs, scales and record keeping materials are put in place in advance. The market is ready to receive the fish. Hapas or cages are placed in a nearby pond to receive any undersized or small fish. The transport equipment is on site to transport the fish to market or to holding tanks. The workers are available for the seining and harvesting of fish in the early hours of h. All sampling and harvest information are to be well documented. Such records are used in planning for the next crop and for business management. Eventually good records will be used in establishing a business plan which can be used in applying for bank loans if needed.

How To Calculate Fish Pond Carrying Capacity Using Stocking Density

Each pond has a carrying capacity or production capacity based on species of fish, water quality, temperature and quality of fish feeds. All agricultural activities have such a carrying capacity. A maize farmer would space planting his seeds at certain distances apart to allow for maximum production; too many seeds planted too close together would produce a small crop. The same is true for fish. Under the best of conditions in static earthen ponds in Nigeria, catfish productions of 10-12 tons per hectare have been achieved although some farmers claim productions up to 50 tons per hectare. This is possible as Asian catfish farmers achieve productions up to 200 MT/ha/ year. For yields of 50 MT, it is necessary to stock ponds with catfish at a density of 6 fish/m2. This would assume a mortality of up to 20% and harvested fish averaging about 1 kg each in weight. Still many ponds are routinely stocked at 5-10 fish/m2. During rearing of juveniles, densities may be 50 fish/m2 or even more as their density would be reduced upon stocking in production ponds. Many fish farmers rearing fish in concrete block tanks stock fish for grow out at 15 to 30 catfish/m2 and achieve total productions of 750 kg in six months from 3 tanks of about 50m2 total surface area. This extrapolates to a production of 300 MT/ha/year, but this is by using the tanks in a partial flow through system to remove wastes and foul water with regular flushing of water. The less hardy tilapias cannot be stocked at such densities as Clarias as their tolerance for limiting conditions of low oxygen and accumulation of waste are very limited in comparison with catfish.

How To Calculate Fish Pond Carrying Capacity Using Stocking Density

Each pond has a carrying capacity or production capacity based on species of fish, water quality, temperature and quality of fish feeds. All agricultural activities have such a carrying capacity. A maize farmer would space planting his seeds at certain distances apart to allow for maximum production; too many seeds planted too close together would produce a small crop. The same is true for fish. Under the best of conditions in static earthen ponds in Nigeria, catfish productions of 10-12 tons per hectare have been achieved although some farmers claim productions up to 50 tons per hectare. This is possible as Asian catfish farmers achieve productions up to 200 MT/ha/ year. For yields of 50 MT, it is necessary to stock ponds with catfish at a density of 6 fish/m2. This would assume a mortality of up to 20% and harvested fish averaging about 1 kg each in weight. Still many ponds are routinely stocked at 5-10 fish/m2. During rearing of juveniles, densities may be 50 fish/m2 or even more as their density would be reduced upon stocking in production ponds. Many fish farmers rearing fish in concrete block tanks stock fish for grow out at 15 to 30 catfish/m2 and achieve total productions of 750 kg in six months from 3 tanks of about 50m2 total surface area. This extrapolates to a production of 300 MT/ha/year, but this is by using the tanks in a partial flow through system to remove wastes and foul water with regular flushing of water. The less hardy tilapias cannot be stocked at such densities as Clarias as their tolerance for limiting conditions of low oxygen and accumulation of waste are very limited in comparison with catfish.

Qualities of A Healthy Fish Stock and Good Stocking Practices

a. Fish stock should be of known source (Dutch variety, etc) and be part of a breeding programme for continuous stock improvement; be sure fish fingerlings are not from unknown wild stocks of questionable species caught by fishermen. Fish fingerlings should be certified disease free. Farms should have tanks or ponds to quarantine fish initially to confirm the quality of their health. b. Fish for stocking in production ponds should be at least 10 cm in total length and preferably up to 15 cm in size. This will greatly reduce mortalities and ensure high survival of stocked fish. Fish of this size are very hardy and resistant to handling and transport. c. Fish fingerlings should come from a certified fish hatchery with procedures for conditioning fish (2 days without feed) for transport in tanks and/or plastic bags. Fingerlings should have been graded to have similar size fish. Certified hatchery should have standardized procedures for grading and handling fish and preparing them for transport. d. Fish for stocking should be in good condition without sores or injuries on their skin; uniform skin color is another indicator of good health. Fish should be acclimatized slowly to the pond environment. Fish should have good overall appearance and be lively. e. With catfish, stock the pond assuming a carrying capacity of 10-15 tons/ha, which will call for a stocking density of 2 fish/m2 assuming a mortality of 10% using 15 g fish fingerlings for stocking. Assume a harvest size of at least 800 g per fish. f. With tilapias, stock the pond assuming a carrying capacity of 5-8 tons/ha with use of quality fish feeds. Calculate stocking rate based on a harvest weight of 400-500 g/fish. Stocking should be done with monosex male tilapias as they grow twice as fast as females. Fish can be sexed visually by hand or sex reversed tilapias can be used. Mixed sex mono species cultures of tilapias will lead to stunted fish and over population. Catfish can be stocked at 1 catfish for each 10 tilapia to control reproduction. Catfish can be stocked up to 2 months after the tilapia are stocked. g. records should be kept regarding all fish stocks and growth.

What Type of Fish Feed Do I Choose or Use?

For some years, fish farmers in Nigeria have preferred highquality imported fish feeds, going along with the common belief, “if it is imported, it has to be better than locally made products”. Artisanal, locally produced fish feeds on left compared with locally manufactured feeds on right with oil coating. Note the local feed is dry and high in fiber with poor water stability, whereas the high quality feed is oil coated and much more palatable to fish. High quality fish feeds are stable in water for at least one hour. However this preference is changing as the cost of imported feeds has increased and now high quality, lower priced, locally manufactured fish feeds are becoming tested and proven by farmers. Increasingly such feeds are available and farmers are benefiting from their use. In spite of this, perhaps as many as 50% of fish farmers still make their own (artisanal) fish feeds (Aquaculture Director, Federal Department of Fisheries, pers. comm.,2010); some use high quality imported feeds for the first two months of growth, then switch over to their “home made” feeds. Many of these farmers do not keep records and fail to grasp their total expenditures and economic results be they positive or negative. By investing in low-cost feed milling equipment they feel they can save money but fail to realize the cost of their total investment in not only inferior equipment but also in a generator as they cannot rely on the national electrical grid of NEPA. One small fish hatchery operator was paying N118/hour to operate his generator while the same farmer stated his NEPA costs were only N8.3/hour.

How To Construct A Fish Pond: Principles

a. Most earthen ponds are built with hand labour in Africa. For ponds larger than 1000 m2, heavy equipment is most effective as larger distances to move earth make hand labour costly. Work crews building fish ponds require close supervision for quality pond construction. b. top soils are removed from the site, later to be placed on top of dikes for sowing with grass cover c. a general survey of the site showing elevations, angles and distances is useful for designing the fish farm pond lay out, showing water canals and drainage canals. Ponds should be staked out with pegs to show pond lay out for tops and bottoms of dikes. d. The shallowest depth for production ponds should be no less than 60-80 cm and the deepest waters should be at least 1.2 m to 1.5 m depending on the slopes. Brood ponds for reproduction should be more shallow e. pond bottoms are hard and clean without stumps or obstructions and slope gently towards the central drain. f. pond dikes are to be compacted every 15-20 cm of soil depth. Compaction is very important and cannot be forgotten. Manual compaction is done with laborers using earth compactors or dammers and will assure no seepage of water. This will later minimize water use and greatly reduce repairs and maintenance costs. Dikes can be washed out from leaks that enlarge as water flows through them. g. the most efficient and low cost pond construction uses dug soils (cut) to build (fill) the dikes. So “Cut should equal Fill”. h. Slopes on the inside dikes should be 2:1 up to 3:1, whereas outside slopes could be steeper at 1.5:1 to 2:1. Gentle slopes require less maintenance and lower cost in the long run. i. the dike height between the water level and top of the dike is called the Freeboard and should be 15-30 cm depending on pond size. Standpipes or drain systems used should be in place to allow over flow during rains to maintain the freeboard. j. the entry pipe should be located above the drain pipe and harvest basin. By having facility to add water above the drain area, you reduce stress on fish during harvest and you keep the fish from swimming out of the lowest area in the pond. (see Figure 3). k. the stand pipe drain should be equipped with a screen having a large surface area to allow over flow of water without loss of fish. Stand pipes are usually of PVC and have an elbow that swivels in the pond bottom at the point where the drain pipe goes through the dike. Thus stand pipes can be “tilted down” to allow water to flow out of the pond. l. drain pipes under the dike require “anti seep collars” of concrete to avoid seepage along the smooth PVC pipe; these collars also help stabilize the pipe. m. ponds should be fully drainable all year round and should be open to receive sunlight. n. a harvest basin is very useful for efficient harvest of fish. These can best be constructed with cement and bricks inside the pond of dimensions 1.2 m x 3 m x 0.3 m deep (see photo in document). o. in most cases, new ponds should be limed (Agriculture lime -1000 kg/ha) and filled. Fish should be stocked once the soils have become saturated with water….up to one week after filling. p. dikes should be covered with top soil and sown with grass cover to prevent erosion. q. most ponds are rectangular with smaller ponds (100-500 m2) used for holding brood fish and spawning and fry rearing. Fry are often raised in tanks or hapas to 1-3 g size as this reduces predation and increases survival. r. records should be kept of all aspects of pond construction including labour, materials, hire of equipment, etc.

Water Supply In Fish Farming: Sources and Management

a. water could be obtained from boreholes, streams or lakes. Gravity flow water is cheapest and best source. Borehole water is an option with little risk but requires pumping. b. unpolluted, uncontaminated water is required c. year-round availability is needed in abundance according to a water budget plan. d. should be under total control of fish farm manager e. water should not be sourced from the water table; ponds built in the water table are uncontrollable and often undrainable and have large build up of bottom mud. f. borehole waters can be excellent, but may costly to pump and may require conditioning to remove carbon dioxide and improve oxygen content and temperature levels. g. open waters from canals and streams may be polluted or be contaminated from runoff from farm lands or towns. h. waters used in aquaculture need to be tested for quality. i. water with alkalinities less than 30 ppm (CaCO3) will require liming to bring up pH levels close to neutrality (7.0) for best fish production j. all water entering fish ponds or tanks needs to be screened to eliminate entry of predators, fish eggs and larvae. Long, fine mesh “socks” are best used to filter entry waters and require a trough to support them. k. waters over flowing in the standpipe should also be passing through a screen having a large surface area, much greater than the area of the stand pipe.

Four Steps To Monitoring Water Quality In Aquaculture

a. Year-round availability and the best quality are required. All water entering the pond or tank is screened/filtered through a fine mesh sock supported by a gutter. b. Increase water productivity through liming and feeding which result in “green water” phytoplankton blooms. c. The capability to understand and test water quality is needed for commercial fish farm management. A water test kit for measuring up to 10 or more parameters is best for most farms. An oxygen meter is a necessity for intensive fish farms. d. Keep records of all water quality analysis and other aspects of farm management. Farmers need comprehensive records to learn from their mistakes and successes.

Four Steps To Monitoring Water Quality In Aquaculture

a. Year-round availability and the best quality are required. All water entering the pond or tank is screened/filtered through a fine mesh sock supported by a gutter. b. Increase water productivity through liming and feeding which result in “green water” phytoplankton blooms. c. The capability to understand and test water quality is needed for commercial fish farm management. A water test kit for measuring up to 10 or more parameters is best for most farms. An oxygen meter is a necessity for intensive fish farms. d. Keep records of all water quality analysis and other aspects of farm management. Farmers need comprehensive records to learn from their mistakes and successes.

Four Steps To Monitoring Water Quality In Aquaculture

a. Year-round availability and the best quality are required. All water entering the pond or tank is screened/filtered through a fine mesh sock supported by a gutter. b. Increase water productivity through liming and feeding which result in “green water” phytoplankton blooms. c. The capability to understand and test water quality is needed for commercial fish farm management. A water test kit for measuring up to 10 or more parameters is best for most farms. An oxygen meter is a necessity for intensive fish farms. d. Keep records of all water quality analysis and other aspects of farm management. Farmers need comprehensive records to learn from their mistakes and successes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN IDEAL WATER FOR YOUR POND

1. It should be greenish or bluish in colour due to phytoplankton. Yellow or brown colour may indicate acid water. 2. It should be about neutral or slightly alkaline. Best pH range for fish production is 6.5-9.0. Acidic and alkaline death point for pond fish is pH 4 and 11 respectively. 3. It must contain enough dissolve oxygen above 4mg/l. At values of 3mg/l or less growth will slow down, fish may become susceptible to diseases. 4. It must not be muddy or turbid. Secchi disc visibility less than 25cm is not desirable (adequate range = 40-90cm). When Secchi disc is unavailable, the palm should be visible when hand is dipped in water except turbidity is caused by plankton bloom. 5. It must not have offensive odour 6. It must be free of pollutants e.g. oil films, detergents, heavy metals e.t.c.

HOW TO CORRECT LOW OXYGEN LEVEL IN FISH PONDS

Low oxygen can kill fish. The decay of excess feed and organic fertilizer consumes oxygen from pond water. Fish will die of asphyxiation if too much oxygen is consumed. Ponds receiving large applications of fertilizer and/or feed must be closely monitored to determine if oxygen levels in the pond are satisfactory for fish. Low oxygen occurs most frequently just before sunrise. Farmers should visit their ponds early in the morning to see if fish are suffering from low oxygen. Fish will come to the water surface seeking higher oxygen levels from water in contact with the atmosphere. The fish appear to be "drinking" the surface water. Almost all fish in the pond will be evenly dispersed over the pond surface and gasping for air. When scared, they will make a splash and dive for deeper water, but will quickly return to the surface. This behavior is sometimes confused with feeding. However, feeding fish will not return to the surface quickly if scared. Fish suffering from low oxygen will usually not eat. Take immediate action to remedy low oxygen using the following steps. How to correct low oxygen in ponds. 1) Add fresh water to the pond to replace water with low oxygen until fish stop gasping at the surface. More oxygen may be added to the fresh water by letting it run over a terraced structure before it enters the pond. 2) Stop fertilization and feeding for several days. Observe fish behavior closely during this time. If low oxygen has been corrected, fish will resume their normal feeding habits. When plankton abundance decreases and a submerged object is visible at a depth of 30 cm, fertilization may be resumed. 3) If low oxygen becomes a chronic problem, reduce the amount of fertilizer and/or feed placed in the pond. 4) Make use of water aerators.

Steps in fish handling

1. Avoid exposing the fish to sunlight. Keep them in a shaded area. 2. Ice the fish immediately after they are caught to lower their temperature. 3. Remove the gills and internal organs. 4. Avoid soaking the fish too long in the water after death as this easily spoils the fish. 5. Use mechanical refrigeration if there are facilities. It is imperative to understand that all processing methods are preservation method but all preservation methods are not processing methods. Smoking or drying is the most common method of fish preservation in Nigeria. Traditionally, fish is smoked in mud kiln or halved cut drum with wire netting on top and use of wood as source. Hardwoods are preferred to softwoods for fish smoking because the former yield more acid and may therefore produce products that are more bacteriologically stable. If fish is not sold fresh, preservation methods should be applied to extend shelf-life. These include freezing, smoking, drying and heat treatment (Sterilization, pasteurization, etc). Efficient preparation of fish is important when top quality, maximum yield and highest possible profits are to be achieved. Whenever fish must be kept for several hours or longer before being consumed, they must be treated in some way to prevent spoiling. These are the basic means for preserving fish: - Cooling and icing - Salting and pickling - Pastes and sauces - Canning and bottling - Air drying and smoking - Kiln drying

CAUSES AND CONTROL OF WATER TURBIDITY IN FISH PONDS

Causes - Suspended silt or clay particles. Clay turbidity restricts light penetration and may limit growth of plankton. It may also clog and block gill systems of fish and affect rate of reproduction by damaging fish eggs and destroying breeding grounds. Habitats of benthic organisms are also damaged. - High plankton density. Turbidity arising from planktonic organisms is desirable so long as it is not in excess. Excess plankton bloom may limit light penetration due to algal scum on surface and may deplete dissolved oxygen due to respiration Control of Turbidity - Simply by soaking dry vegetation in pond. - By use of chemicals such as lime, filter alum to precipitate suspended solids - Fertilization should be suspended if turbidity is caused by plankton blooms.