Catfish Genetics Research Site Logo
ARS Home About Us Helptop nav spacerContact Us En Espanoltop nav spacer
Printable VersionPrintable Version     E-mail this pageE-mail this page
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
Search
  Advanced Search
 
Programs and Projects
Subjects of Investigation
 

Research Project: IMPROVING PRODUCTION STRATEGIES IN CHANNEL CATFISH FARMING

Location: Catfish Genetics Research

Title: Can reduced stocking rates and natural forage utilization produce market sized catfish from fingerlings in one growing season

Authors
item Mischke, Charles -
item Li, Menghe -
item Oberle, Daniel -

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 1, 2010
Publication Date: September 1, 2011
Citation: Mischke, C.C., Li, M.H., Oberle, D.F. 2011. Can reduced stocking rates and natural forage utilization produce market-sized catfish from fingerlings in one growing season. Journal of Applied Aquaculture. 23:271-278.

Interpretive Summary: An attempt was made to grow marketable channel catfish from pond-run fingerlings (15.9 g/fish) using low stocking densities (7,413 or 14,826 fish/ha) and electrified bug lights to enhance natural forage available to fish. Even at low stocking densities, fish only averaged 0.2 kg at the end of the growing season. Marketable sizes of fish were not reached over the growing season; stocking small fingerlings at these rates would not be practical under commercial production. Captured insects from electrified bug lights were near a complete diet for catfish, but bug lights did not capture sufficient quantities of insects to affect fish production in either stocking density. Stocking small fingerlings at low stocking rates does not produce market-sized catfish during one growing season; commercially available bug lights did not provide adequate amounts of natural forage to affect production variables.

Technical Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of growing marketable channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus from pond-run fingerlings (15.9 g/fish) using low stocking densities (7,413 or 14,826 fish/ha) and electrified bug lights to enhance natural forage available to fish. Even at low stocking densities, fish only averaged 0.2 kg at the end of the growing season. Because marketable sizes of fish were not reached over the growing season, stocking small fingerlings at these rates would not be practical under most commercial production scenarios. Nutritionally, captured insects from electrified bug lights were near a complete diet for catfish, but bug lights did not capture sufficient quantities of insects to affect fish production in either stocking density. Stocking small fingerlings at low stocking rates does not produce market-sized catfish during one growing season; commercially available bug lights did not provide adequate amounts of natural forage to affect production variables.

   

 
Project Team
Torrans, Eugene
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Aquaculture (106)
 
Related Projects
   IMPROVING PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF POND-RAISED CHANNEL CATFISH
 
 
Last Modified: 05/23/2013
ARS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Policies and Links 
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Nondiscrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House