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 (2kg). 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 (1kg) 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.
Please be reminded that the information as contained herewith is based on the climatic and environmental conditions in Nigeria, which is a tropical country. Meanwhile, I will be quick to add that this article is an excerpt from the operational manual for commercial catfish farming titled AN ILLUSTRATED STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO COMMERCIAL CATFISH GROW OUT FARMING, also written by the author since 2003 now updated up to 2015. It will be useful to you; a beginner or an experienced farmer as a working and reference document. The soft copy (to be sent via email) cost 4,000 naira, while the hard copy (to be sent via courier) goes for 6,500 naira. If you are interested please call: 08023620926; 09030301242 or send email to: festus.okpako88@gmail.com; festus,okpako@yahoo,com or foodscienceng@gmail.com
PAYMENT DETAILS: Festus Okpako, first bank current account number 2006146470
Other available manuals:
# AN ILLUSTRATED STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO COMMERCIAL CATFISH HATCHERY FARMING. PRICE: 6,000 naira (soft copy); 8,000 naira (hard copy)
# A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO COMMERCIAL CATFISH DISEASE MANAGEMENT
PRICE:4,000 naira (soft copy); 6,000 naira (hard copy).
Please be reminded that all SOFT COPIES will be sent via email and HARD COPIES, via courier,
