CHEAP WAYS OF RAISING CATFISH
Many catfish farmers have complained over the high cost of raising catfish over the months. The question is, how can a farmer break even with the current high cost of feeding? It is either the farmer sells the catfish at a good price or he reduces his cost of feeding. But it’s difficult to sell at high price because of the low bargaining power of customers making most farmers to sell below their cost of production. So the farmer should look at reducing the cost of raising the fishes.
One important rule in raising fish is “Protein Gives Protein”. Catfish feeds are expensive because it contains high level of protein and that is what your fish needs. Even if you decide to do local feed formulation, if it is not proteinous enough, the fishes won’t meet their expected target weight making farmers to spend more on feeding with poor results. Always ensure your feeds contain high protein.
If you are making use of earthen pond, create time to remove the mud because catfish has the ability to hibernate inside the mud when the water level is low or during harvest (thus they can hibernate inside dry mud for months without water). Removing the muds before stocking helps you to locate hibernated fishes. If neglected, your fingerlings would be eaten when the older catfish comes out of hibernation. Some farmers boast of having some extra big catfish within 3 months, those are fishes that came out from hibernation.
It’s better to start catfish business with juvenile ages because they would have passed through proper time of rearing from the breeder farmer. When you get your juveniles, don’t feed them until 24 – 28 hours of arrival to your pond so as to reduce the stress and shock from transportation and change of pond.
For the first 6 weeks feed your catfish with the best feed, this to enable them grow fast, the growth index of catfish at the first 6 weeks is very important because it will determine how big your catfish would be at harvest.
Have a feeding site. You must have a particular place where you feed your fishes, most farmer make the mistake of spreading feeds across the entire pond, this leads to feed wastages and water pollution because the fishes won’t be able to locate most of feeds making them not to grow as expected. Feeding your fishes at a particular site ensures proper consumption of feeds by the fishes because they know where the feed is coming from.
Cover the surface of your pond with nets so as to prevent entrance of predators such as snakes, alligator, birds etc. these predators constantly eat and reduces the population of your catfish without you even noticing until your harvest.
Constantly remove green algae from your ponds because they reduces the oxygen content of the water.
If possible, pass electric bulbs (AkT bulbs or any fluorescent white bulbs) through your pond, about 80cm high from the water surface. Switch on the lights at night to attract insects that would be eaten by your fishes.
At the 7 week, reduce the catfish pelleted feed intake by 50% and supplement with maggot. Maggot contains high protein and is good for fishes. You can get maggot from poultry farms or you can culture it.(50% pelleted feed, 50% maggot).
At the 9 week, further reduce the pelleted feed to 25% and supplement with condemned eggs. Thus 25% pelleted feed, 50% maggot, 25% condemned eggs. You can get condemned eggs from poultry farms or poultry hatcheries. Most hatcheries disposes their unhatched or infertile eggs while some sell them at cheap prices.
At the 10th week, stop your pelleted feed completely and introduce rejected day old birds from hatcheries or poultry mortality. Rejected day old birds are those that have deformity which cannot be marketed and sold as normal birds at the hatchery, you get it for free or buy at a cheap price from hatcheries. Poultry mortalities are dead birds in the farm, most farms bury or burn their mortalities because it’s a waste to them, but to the catfish farmer, it is feed.
From the 11th week till harvest feed your fishes with maggot, condemned eggs, rejected birds and mortality. Just give them pelleted feed one in 3 weeks; you will be glad how big your catfish would be.
My next post would be how to prepare these conventional feeds and increase its level of palatability before giving it to your fishes. You can add my signature for quick follow up.

Farming is not just an occupation; it’s a way of life- Onyekwe Nduka Prosper

Nice one. I'm following.

This will only make them big without any corresponding weight. Protein in good but your fish need more than protein to grow well. NO SINGLE MEAL that is better than formula. Your info is misleading. In fact after three months is better to give more of plant protein and reduce animal protein. as your fish grow they need protein which can be gotten from plant sources. Imaging I have 5000 pieces of catfish and u tell me to feed them with maggot and egg only. Like how many pieces of egg will feed them in the morning and evening sir. ? THIS YOUR MEAL IS JUST SUPPLEMENT. not a substitute for formula. From juveniles your fish need noting less than 20% carbohydrates which your meal can't provide. I DISAGREE SIR

funso111:
This will only make them big without any corresponding weight. Protein in good but your fish need more than protein to grow well. NO SINGLE MEAL that is better than formula. Your info is misleading. In fact after three months is better to give more of plant protein and reduce animal protein. as your fish grow they need protein which can be gotten from plant sources. Imaging I have 5000 pieces of catfish and u tell me to feed them with maggot and egg only. Like how many pieces of egg will feed them in the morning and evening sir. ? THIS YOUR MEAL IS JUST SUPPLEMENT. not a substitute for formula. From juveniles your fish need noting less than 20% carbohydrates which your meal can't provide. I DISAGREE SIR

you're entitled to your opinion sir, you must not agree, but don't drag others with you. I currently run 8000 capacity fish pond with constant supply of infertile eggs, maggots & poultry mortalities. I utilise the availability of poultry farms and hatchery in my area. you sound like a theoretical person to me, we're in practical era Sir, wake up.

Prosperousman:


you're entitled to your opinion sir, you must not agree, but don't drag others with you. I currently run 8000 capacity fish pond with constant supply of infertile eggs, maggots & poultry mortalities. I utilise the availability of poultry farms and hatchery in my area. you sound like a theoretical person to me, we're in practical era Sir, wake up.

we are both in practical farming. Yr fish can grow big but they cant have wait. U can't feed your fish with protein only and u expect them to get maximum yield. The theory is the bases. Do more research bro

funso111:
This will only make them big without any corresponding weight. Protein in good but your fish need more than protein to grow well. NO SINGLE MEAL that is better than formula. Your info is misleading. In fact after three months is better to give more of plant protein and reduce animal protein. as your fish grow they need protein which can be gotten from plant sources. Imaging I have 5000 pieces of catfish and u tell me to feed them with maggot and egg only. Like how many pieces of egg will feed them in the morning and evening sir. ? THIS YOUR MEAL IS JUST SUPPLEMENT. not a substitute for formula. From juveniles your fish need noting less than 20% carbohydrates which your meal can't provide. I DISAGREE SIR

I agree with you. It will work as a supplement not a substitute for feeding. With 5000 fishes, how much maggot can one culture? With what space? How frequently will you get enough maggot to feed them? How consistently can you get mortality from poultry farms?
Yes they'll need carbs for sure. You didn't suggest chaff from garri making facilities or getting cassava and grating it for the fishes to nibble on them. As the fishes grow, the more feed they require. Whatever quantity they consumed in their first 6 weeks will increase and almost double in their next 6 weeks.

All good info

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Buyers look out for size but farmers look out for weight and if you want to smile to the bank as farmer, OK with this your method a commercial farmer will end up closing shop. I fed my fish with good protein at 3 months plus I started bombarding with weight. maize, tapioca, fish, Garry small amount of soya, Doug, Guinea corn etc, and their weight is supper encouraging.

Buyers look out for size but farmers look out for weight and if you want to smile to the bank as farmer, OP, with this your method, a commercial farmer will end up closing shop without making any profit . I fed my fish with good protein at 3 months plus I started bombarding with weight. maize, tapioca, fish, Garry small amount of soya, Doug, Guinea corn etc, and their weight is supper encouraging.

DEBJOCH1:
Buyers look out for size but farmers look out for weight and if you want to smile to the bank as farmer, OP, with this your method, a commercial farmer will end up closing shop without making any profit . I fed my fish with good protein at 3 months plus I started bombarding with weight. maize, tapioca, fish, Garry small amount of soya, Doug, Guinea corn etc, and their weight is supper encouraging.

. Please sir, I need more clarity about this information. I need your help as soon as possible. How do I feed them with the maize, tapioca etc.

DEBJOCH1:
Buyers look out for size but farmers look out for weight and if you want to smile to the bank as farmer, OP, with this your method, a commercial farmer will end up closing shop without making any profit . I fed my fish with good protein at 3 months plus I started bombarding with weight. maize, tapioca, fish, Garry small amount of soya, Doug, Guinea corn etc, and their weight is supper encouraging.

Good evening, please how do I contact you

The op have never had a fish farmer ..lol


Do you think getting maggots is that easy?

Daniel058:
The op have never had a fish farmer ..lol


Do you think getting maggots is that easy?

By God's grace I've been able to manage a poultry farm of 150,000 capacity with 8 years experience in integrated farming. pig farmers and fish rearers actually buy fresh manure and stimulate it to produce maggots. by doing so it reduces the cost of feeding by 20-30%.

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