Fish Farming ... When It Goes Belly Up

[finnomick]

5. It would my guess that baramundi would eventually eat all the tilapia.

Point #5 above interests me.

Would the introduced barramundi eat all the tilapia over time (including adults) ... or just hover up the fry?

.

From what I have read , they clear up the fry but I have absolutely no idea if they are as bad a predatory fish such as the Pla Chon

which would eat almost anything and everything. Pehaps there is an Australian born contributor who can enlighten us ......please.

[ozzydom]

Not been on the forums for some time, so a warm hello to those who have shared information and helped out in the past. My ponds are not big enough to have any great volume of fish so I basically I am giving up trying to make money from them. I've still got a fair stock of Tilapia which are producing fry in great quantities. I did try the hormone treated variety but with still limited success, but this year we have experienced something new. Despite a lot of rain last year, three of our four ponds have actually dried up. Never had that before so we had to catch all the fish and put them together in the one deeper large pond. I've heard of people introducing Baramundi (?) at the rate of 1:20. Has anyone tried this and if so, what were the results ? Personally, I don't like the taste of Tilapia, I prefer Chon but growing these has a whole series of individual problems hence the thoughts turning to Baramundi. I know you can buy them from Nam Sai in Bangkok but would like to read other farmer's comments first. An Oz friend of mine questioned as to whether Baramundi would survive in a pond as opposed to running water. I guess breeding could alter the desired habitat so i'm throwing the subject into the open forum before I actually do anything about it. As usual, any information will be gladly and gratefully received.

Mick,Barra do well in still water ponds,their growth rate is about 50%better than Pla Nin,although liveability can be a problem.

I have put 100 in a pond and never seen them again,but 50% survival is achievable ,we have taken them to 5kg in 3 years.

I think predation is their biggest problem, they can just about swallow anything their own size including other barra.

[ozzydom]

5. It would my guess that baramundi would eventually eat all the tilapia.

Point #5 above interests me.

Would the introduced barramundi eat all the tilapia over time (including adults) ... or just hover up the fry?

.

From what I have read , they clear up the fry but I have absolutely no idea if they are as bad a predatory fish such as the Pla Chon

which would eat almost anything and everything. Pehaps there is an Australian born contributor who can enlighten us ......please.

I doubt that Barra would keep up to the breeding rate of Pla Nin which start to breed at about 250 gram and breed like blowflies on a dead sheep.

Some weed in the pond is beneficial to barra as they attack their victim from hiding and take their prey head on like some tuna and other toothless predators.

[ozzydom]

Harkening back to Davids Post 1, we had identical problem this year,

I put the problem down to a combination of factors.

With the hot dry weather and extreme evaporation rate, water quality has been extremely hard (and expensive )to maintain.

With the rice growers doing multiple crops along our Klong the available water has been low and extremely dirty.

Water temp in the top 2/3 of the ponds is extremely high.

What I did was pump 50% of all water from the ponds ,sucking from as high as possible and replaced from the Klong adding dolomite to help settle the turpidity.

Changed all the aeration to mix the deeper cooler water upwards.

Added more aeration capacity and now run 5hp of pumps 24/7.

Dropped feeding by 50%.

It is costing plenty but mortality has dropped to almost zero and water quality has improved greatly.

To help offset the greater costs of this hard season we are carrying all stocks over till rice harvest (value adding)when average size should be 800 gram and will raise our prices a little.

I hope this year is a one off,if these conditions were to become the norm I would have serious concerns of our viability.

[ray23]

When I was having my problems I followed the advice given here, used salt and dolomite. I also promoted algae growth. Added a total of nine oxygen out lets.

I think March of next year I will pump the pond I know I have fry in there, that I didn't put in. I think it will be good to start over.

anyway thanks for all your help guys

[DonaldBattles]

Seems like every time I buy fish food the price has gone up again. I am paying 395B for the very small CP pellets with 18% protein and 520B for the 32% protein. Anyone know where you can buy cheaper in Chiang Rai?

I need to continue to use the small pellets about 2 more months until my baby fish get larger. They have been in the water for 5 weeks. I feed them 2 times per day. I don't have access to manure or banana trees so I have use commercial feed.

[canuckamuck]

Last time I bought pellets in CR, I paid 670 for 32% medium size pellets. So you are getting a better deal than I am. I need to buy more today, can you let me know where you buy yours? I can get a good deal from a friend Chiang Mai, but for Chiang Rai I haven't found a place I like.

You can feed your fish more often, they will likely grow faster with more food. I feed at least 4 times a day.

[RedBullHorn]

The price you got from CP is about right. Anything cheaper from another brand apart from CP and Betagro may affect the growth rate and harvest yield.

[ray23]

are you doing cat fish or Pla Nin?

[DonaldBattles]

Catfish in one pond and pla tap tim in the other pond. The catfish lake is for sport fishing. The tap tim is for the market.

[canuckamuck]

The price you got from CP is about right. Anything cheaper from another brand apart from CP and Betagro may affect the growth rate and harvest yield.

I assume you were responding to Donald's price and not the one I paid. Do you know of a supplier in Chiang Rai?

[DonaldBattles]

For the 32% protein food it is in Wiang Chai across from the Fisheries Department Office and ponds. It is a 2 story building with a blue roof. Hard to miss. They do a big business there. This is where I bought the baby fish. This is the only place that I have looked for the high protein food. Not sure what their 18% is but will check the next time. I have started feeding 3 times per day. This way I can lose money faster. Fish farming is like Thai women you put a lot in and don't get much out but we could not live without them Can't get my wife to feed the fish but she will feed the ducks and the ATM.

[canuckamuck]

Yes I am doing a great job of keeping profits at bay as well. Next year I might be in danger of making more than I spend, but I am sure I will find a way to avoid it.

Thanks about Wiang Chai, I will go there next time.

[RedBullHorn]

The price you got from CP is about right. Anything cheaper from another brand apart from CP and Betagro may affect the growth rate and harvest yield.

I assume you were responding to Donald's price and not the one I paid. Do you know of a supplier in Chiang Rai?

Yes... Donald's price.

For the 32% protein food it is in Wiang Chai across from the Fisheries Department Office and ponds. It is a 2 story building with a blue roof. Hard to miss. They do a big business there. This is where I bought the baby fish. This is the only place that I have looked for the high protein food. Not sure what their 18% is but will check the next time. I have started feeding 3 times per day. This way I can lose money faster. Fish farming is like Thai women you put a lot in and don't get much out but we could not live without them Can't get my wife to feed the fish but she will feed the ducks and the ATM.

That place price's is acceptable. I was an ex-customer there for 2 years.....

[DonaldBattles]

Think I need to put some snake heads in my sport fishing pond to stop the population of the plan nin in the lake. Will they also seriously eat the baby catfish when they hatch out.

[DonaldBattles]

Think I need to put some snake heads in my sport fishing pond to stop the population of the plan nin in the lake. Will they also seriously eat the baby catfish when they hatch out.

[ray23]

Well the only way I save money on fish food in this case 25% for talapia, is send my Broter in law he get 90 baht less a bag.

We found 37% for the Pla More, next time we send the brother in law.

I'm trying RBH's, stocked 1600 Pla Mor where I had put 400 Cat fish before. Nothing Ventured nothing gained. We have not put is any Pla Nin for months and I see fingerlings all over the place. So it will definelty be pump the pond out in march. In the mean tiime sice we fish them poles I will just throw the littel ones back or feed them to the Pla Mor. Depending on size.

You know for the life of me with the size of the Pla Mor I just can't see a three months grow out period

[tingtong]

 

Think I need to put some snake heads in my sport fishing pond to stop the population of the plan nin in the lake. Will they also seriously eat the baby catfish when they hatch out.

 

Donald,

if you have good amount of catfish ( not fingerling size) in your sport fishing pond, they should take care most of those baby tilapia. snakehead will eat both cat and tila regardless...

if i were you maybe just increase the larger catfish population, i have them mixed in two pond, very few baby tilapia found when one pond was drained, so, it works.

[DonaldBattles]

Ok:

Many thanks. I will not add the snake heads and depend on the catfish to eat the baby nins.

[patongphil]

Ok:

Many thanks. I will not add the snake heads and depend on the catfish to eat the baby nins.

Hey Donald if this is a sport fishing pond then I have much the same. I put a dozen spotted featherbacks in about 18 months ago and they are now about 70 to 80 cm long. They eat the Tilapia Fry. They are also breeding in the pond. I bought them at a local market at the aquarium stand - they are pretty common.

Anyway they are very good sport fish to catch and also good to eat.

I have also put in Jungle Perch for the same reasons. These I catch in the wild and transfer back into my pond,

Here is one of the small ones bred in the pond.

And one of the Jungle Perch just about to make his way back to my pond.

[ray23]

Ok:

Many thanks. I will not add the snake heads and depend on the catfish to eat the baby nins.

Hey Donald if this is a sport fishing pond then I have much the same. I put a dozen spotted featherbacks in about 18 months ago and they are now about 70 to 80 cm long. They eat the Tilapia Fry. They are also breeding in the pond. I bought them at a local market at the aquarium stand - they are pretty common.

Anyway they are very good sport fish to catch and also good to eat.

I have also put in Jungle Perch for the same reasons. These I catch in the wild and transfer back into my pond,

Here is one of the small ones bred in the pond.

Would that be the same as Pla Mor?

Baby featherback with 7 spots.JPG

And one of the Jungle Perch just about to make his way back to my pond.

Photo0749.jpg

[DonaldBattles]

Can you tell me what a spotted feather back is. Not sure I have ever heard of this breed.

[RedBullHorn]

Spotted Featherback or Clown Knifefish... AKA Thai fishballs...yum yum

[DonaldBattles]

If these things can grow 80 cm in 18 months they could take the place over and do away with the pla nin hatches. Not sure where to look for them in Chiang Rai. The first OP reported that he bought them from an aquarium at a market. Many thanks for the photo.

[ray23]

Ok I will try ti again I stick Pla mor in with the Talapia will they eat the fry?

[ozzydom]

Ok I will try ti again I stick Pla mor in with the Talapia will they eat the fry?

No Ray, they wont eat the fry,but they have the habit of vacating your pond for "greener pastures" specially during wet season, a bit like snakeheads.

[ray23]

Thanks Dom we got netting around the pond, hopefully it wiil work a real fine mesh. I will be pumping the big pond out in March, that is the time frame we ran into problem last year. Thre years now so time for a good treatment of the pond itself adn get rid of the little guys,

I have to say I don't see much advantage in floating nets, the growth in them is no different then just lettign them go in the pond. I only have one left in the water, just to see how things go. I will release them in November.

[ozzydom]

Over the years we have had innumerable members who have either dipped their toes in the waters of fish farming,or have gone in boots and all, many in conjunction with aquaponics and invested large sums in the ventures.

These days we hear little or nothing many of these members,were they successful ? did they fail?

It would be interesting and educational to the next "crop" of fish farmers to read of their experiences ,good and bad.

We like to hear success stories such as RBH,but also ones who did not make the grade,as there are lessons for us all in their trials and tribulations.

There are a myriard of explanations for failure,family break-ups, disease, lack of market,unsuitable location etc etc etc..

C,mon guys,your stories can have huge benefits for our next crop of "fish farmers"

[ozzydom]

Thanks Dom we got netting around the pond, hopefully it wiil work a real fine mesh. I will be pumping the big pond out in March, that is the time frame we ran into problem last year. Thre years now so time for a good treatment of the pond itself adn get rid of the little guys,

I have to say I don't see much advantage in floating nets, the growth in them is no different then just lettign them go in the pond. I only have one left in the water, just to see how things go. I will release them in November.

Your right Ray, the standard fine mesh hapa,s are of no use in growing on Pla Nin, the fine mesh does not allow water movement and retains all the excreta and rubbish.

To grow on you need to use larger mesh nets (which are expensive)and have water flow (either natural ie.river or pump induced circulation.

Having said that,the fine mesh hapas are used to house larger breeders but at a rate not suitable for growing market fish, breeders are housed at about one fish per 2 sq metres.

[David48]

Over the years we have had innumerable members who have either dipped their toes in the waters of fish farming,or have gone in boots and all, many in conjunction with aquaponics and invested large sums in the ventures.

These days we hear little or nothing many of these members,were they successful ? did they fail?

It would be interesting and educational to the next "crop" of fish farmers to read of their experiences ,good and bad.

We like to hear success stories such as RBH,but also ones who did not make the grade,as there are lessons for us all in their trials and tribulations.

There are a myriard of explanations for failure,family break-ups, disease, lack of market,unsuitable location etc etc etc..

C,mon guys,your stories can have huge benefits for our next crop of "fish farmers"

+1

Great Idea ...

.