Fish Farming ... When It Goes Belly Up

[David48]

[David48]

[David48]

[DonaldBattles]

The majority of the fish in the photo looked like pla nin and small in size. Was the market for fish balls or table plate food.

[David48]

The majority of the fish in the photo looked like pla nin and small in size. Was the market for fish balls or table plate food.

Which Photo are you referring to?

If it was this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624074-fish-farming-when-it-goes-belly-up/?p=6851614 with the 6 photos, I'd have to agree with you.

As for 'end use' ... the aunt sold to the Wholesaler ... no idea what happens after that.

There is a Fish whose name translates as 'Big Headed Carp' and apparently, it's flesh is mainly used for Fish Balls.

[ozzydom]

David:

These fish look like they are mostly pla nin. I did see some larger ones, what were they? What was the average age of the pla nin?

Many thanks.

err~ David...may i ? (I hope you don't mind)

Donald, it's Pla Sawai, AKA Striped catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) Bottom/general feeder.

TW says they are Silver Carp.

[ozzydom]

David:

These fish look like they are mostly pla nin. I did see some larger ones, what were they? What was the average age of the pla nin?

Many thanks.

err~ David...may i ? (I hope you don't mind)

Donald, it's Pla Sawai, AKA Striped catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) Bottom/general feeder.

TW says they are Silver Carp.

By the way, we place a few Silver Carp in each pond with the Pla Nin,they are a great early warning system for low oxygen levels, the carp belly up way before the Pla Nin and give you time to take remedial action.

Really boney fish but TW uses for fermenting.

[RedBullHorn]

It's always the same recommendation...

Look pla Phan pla man : "You rear pla nin you include silver carps and pla sawai, ok ? You ok me ok, all ok (he meant the fishes)...you make money money yah~ "

"Yeah right..."

[RedBullHorn]

This basket Silver Carps (long body, no stripes)

This basket Pla Sawai (greyish top half, white belly with slight red hue, no scales and downward eyes)

[ray23]

Dom did you increase the protein level of your feed?

[ozzydom]

Dom did you increase the protein level of your feed?

No mate ,just changed brand.

[ray23]

We did a test catch today getting close to a half kilo, shouldnl;t be to long before we can open for fishing.

We have some Thai people that live to fishf kilos as they grow. We do it this way since we don't sale in bulk. after a bit of time they will be at a kilo size, then it's 70 baht. I hope we get the old ladies back they really ge excited whn thye cratch one. Makes for good fun.

With the worm farm we started last year we have lot's of bait.

We have enouhg mushroom cuttings now that we are feeding some to the fish as well.

Nice to see things coming together.

[David48]

We did a test catch today getting close to a half kilo, shouldn't;t be to long before we can open for fishing.

Nice post

I've run out of likes ... but well done ...

In the words of ray23 ... Nice to see things coming together.

[ray23]

This is the small pond where we have the Pla Mor, we are currently feeding 2.25 kilos three times a day and it is empty of floating food in the morning. At 3 kilos each time we had floating food so I think we are about right on the feeding now.

The light turns on automatically when the sun goes down

[ray23]

This the large pond with the Pla Nin, we are going to empty it and treat it next march. First time in three years. This is going to be a nightmare 1000's of fry in it along with good size fish.

No more buying from the government fish place Momo Sex is important. This is the most water I have ever seen in this pond. It would be more. But, when we built it we put in eight inch drains.

Last year about April was when the water went bad.

Sadly a can't use a throw net in it as it has the jagged rocks on the side and they just tear up the net. When I get empty I will see if there is somthing we can do about it. This holds a lot of water it's 4 meters deep. It also has a spring that feeds it so it isn't going to be easy to empty.

How often should I be using EM?

We have now put in 25 kilos of lime a little at a time and I'm starting to see algea forming.

We still use a salt application

We did an equal amount off feeding in this pond as we did with the Pla More. I'm cuting that back now. There so full they won't bite

We have caught five large ones put them in an above ground tank and feeding them 30% just an experiment.

Since we fish with poles we also have our own worm farm for bait, they are about 300 grams right now.

When can sale at 500 Grams for 35 baht. that is when we can have a little fun. Most Thai's like to fish, they pay the same if we catch them or we do.

We are feeding 16.5 % I forgot to check the brand. We also give thenm the cutting's from our mushrooms along with cut grass from the edge of the pond

Dom which brand did you switch to?

We will restock thie pond with 2,000 Pla Nin after it's treated we did it before and eveything worked out. So we will give it another try

[ray23]

One thing I forgot to mention the big pond has nine oxygen outlets in it. Theabove ground tank started to stink already a little EM cleared that up very fast. It has four oxygen outlets and a filter system, cleaned twice a day. I t gas six Pla Nin in it now getting 30% protien three times a day just wwant to see if they grow faster, then the one in the pond. In other words I'm playing around

I will try to ge some photos tomorrow.

[DonaldBattles]

What is your 9 oxygen outlets? How are they located in relation to each other?

[ray23]

The biggest one is in the center of the pond, smaller ones are at one end, this is a recent change, went for two years with just the center one, It is good size pump, nothing fancy, garden hose fits. t right on the pump outlet. Took 1/2 inch pVC hooked the hose to that. Drill a lot of very small holes in the last sextion of pipe caped it off

Put wiegths on it so it would satay down when the air is started. Leave a little extra line so it stays off the bottom. Attach a line to the capped end so you can move to it as you wish.That has been working fo three years 7/24 no problems. Eventually I will have to replace the pump. But, I have my monies wirth from it now

I have thought about putting an electric outlet at the other end of the pond to run the small pumps with. But, I'm not so sure it matters where the air goes in as long as it gets in the water

[ray23]

The large tank currently has Six Pla nin in it with four oxygen outlets, the water is filtered and cleaned twice a day. Water management is crucial in using these we use EM in it as needed. The fish are being fed three times a day. It's just an experiment. It actually serves two purposes good place to start fry. Then acts as holding tank for the fish to be sold.

The smaller one is the same thing, just smaller.

Thge blue tank in between is where we get the chlorine out of the city water, we ise that water because it is cleaner. You lose water each time you clean

Where the expereiment comes in In the smaller tank the water foils very quickly and you begin losing fish on three days..

So the esperiment is can I keep those six fish alive and will they gain weight using 30% food

[ray23]

This is the wife mending a throw net, the big pond just rips them up. When I mentioned this they all thought I was nuts and they may have been right. But that is nice covered deck it's raining so a good project for that kind of a day. They didn't want to do it until they saw me doing doing it. Talk abiout the blind leading the bliind

We have been told 1,300 baht for a new one so worth a try.

Got a break through on our 30 % Protien today. I fibbed to our normal supplier told them we paid 500 baht and I would buy from him if he could give a better buy on ten bags at a time. So it's now down to 450 Baht a bag, beat's the heck out of 620 baht a bag.

[DonaldBattles]

Many thanks to you guys like OZ and Ray. My first stab at fish farming looks like it is going OK. I will start Sunday trying to get the pla nin out of the lower lake with a cast net. What luck I have will be better than not trying. I plan to harvest the pla duc during December. this will be difficult as I have to move a lot of water up to the upper lake and not sure if it can handle it or not. I can dump some but need the water to keep the fish from the new batch growing.

The pla tab tim are developing very well in the upper lake. The left over pla nin are getting fat. These won't be ready to harvest for another 6 months or so.

I have only see 3 fish that have died. Can't tell if they are old small pla nin or not. My mortality rate appears to be next to nothing.

Again, thanks to all on the forum for guiding me through the first trip.

[DonaldBattles]

RBH: Do you know a trustworthy fish broker in Chiang Rai? I need to start thinking about harvesting my pla duc.

[RedBullHorn]

How many fishes are there Donald ?

[DonaldBattles]

RBH: I am hoping that I can harvest about 5000. I have been feeding slow at 8 kg per day. They look like they are progressing OK. The left over pla nin are giving me trouble feeding. Sunday we will try to net a lot of them to take out.

[ray23]

Thanks for the thought Donald. Butm the credit really goes to RBH amd Ozzie Dom. I just ask questions.

[RedBullHorn]

So sorry Donald, to make it worth while, my side need at least 10'000-15'000 fishes minimium for them to come in.

5'000 fishes in 90 days with satiation feeding of 55 sacks of good grade feed, at best will only be around 900kg.

My team of wholesalers are trucking minimium of 1'000kg-1'500kg each.

Edit// I tell you what, could you PM me your phone number so i could get in touch with you. I need to see the sizes of the fishes in the pond first then i can decide. If all is good, i will get one of my team member to havest your fishes.

[DonaldBattles]

Because of getting my feeding program under control late I figure that the fish are about 180 grams now and by Dec. will be 250 grams. I could harvest all 7000 if necessary which would yeild about 1750 kg.

[RedBullHorn]

Donald, if you base on 250gm per fish, you are within the 4-6 fishes/kg bracket. 110 sacks of Premium or grade A pellet feed (plus supplement) and the right water depth in the pond... For 10'000 Clarias catfish (Big Oui) in this season will yield beween 1'680kg - 1'760kg.

With the right pond layout, soil condition and water depth...will yield 1'830kg -1'870kg at best when harvest.

[DonaldBattles]

RBH: God only knows if my approach is correct. It is based on harvesting about 5,000 cat fish after 5 months of under feeding. I just have to wait and see what the weights are.

Hope to see you on Sunday.

[ray23]

Did a test net on the Pla Mor I think Ozziedom is going to me a lot closer on his estimate of time then the Govt. one.We are staying on course with feeding. Four months will be next month. We will see what happens

We managed to get the cost dow to 480 a bag on 30%.

I have turned farm over to the brother to operate. That was the idea in the first place a family business. If he takes care of it, he will make money if he doesn't then it's finished. I will stop in time to time and share what I have learned over the last three years. Othe then that you woll find me on the shaded deck, fishing pole and and ice tea in hand.