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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179311
Title: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE COST OF PRODUCING FINGERLINGS FROM CHANNEL CATFISH STOCKED AS SAC FRY OR AS HATCHERY-FED SWIM-UP FRY

Author
item REIGH, ROBERT - LOUISIANA STATE UNVIR
item WILLIAMS, MILLIE - LOUISIANA STATE UNVIR
item GILLESPIE, JEFFREY - LOUISIANA STATE UNVIR
item Weirich, Charles

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2005
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Reigh, R.C., Williams, M.B., Gillespie, J.M., Weirich, C.R. 2006. Preliminary observations on the cost of producing fingerlings from channel catfish stocked as sac fry or as hatchery-fed swim-up fry. Journal of Applied Aquaculture. 18(3):75-84.

Interpretive Summary: As a means to reduce hatchery operating costs, a number of channel catfish fingerling producers currently stock sac fry as early as two days after hatching in nursery ponds as an alternative to the traditional practice of feeding and stocking swim-up fry for a period of 7-10 days before stocking. Although preliminary research suggests that stocking sac fry has no effect on overall production of fingerlings, this practice has not been evaluated under pond conditions. In addition, no information exists with respect to economic factors. This study was conducted to determine if stocking catfish sac fry two days after hatch or swim-up fry 10 days after hatch had significant effects on subsequent fingerling production and the profitability of a production operation under practical conditions. In two consecutive years, catfish fry were stocked in 0.08-ha ponds in the spring of the year and harvested about six months later. Results indicated that there were no differences in weight, number, or survival of fingerling catfish that were stocked either as sac fry or swim-up fry. Total savings were estimated to be $17,607/yr for a hatchery that stocked sac fry compared with a hatchery that stocked swim-up fry; or a savings of approximately 1% of total specified expenses. Feeding catfish swim-up fry in the hatchery for seven days prior to stocking in ponds for grow-out to fingerling size provided no benefit, in terms of fish survival or the quantity of fingerlings produced, when compared with fingerling yields from ponds stocked with two-day old sac fry. Thus, hatchery feeding of swim-up fry may be an uneconomical practice that might be effectively replaced by stocking sac fry within 48 h of hatching.

Technical Abstract: Some producers stock channel catfish sac fry in nursery ponds as early as two days after hatching to reduce hatchery operating costs associated with the traditional practice of feeding swim-up fry for 7-10 days prior to stocking. This study was conducted to determine if stocking catfish sac fry two days after hatch or swim-up fry 10 days after hatch had significant effects on subsequent fingerling production the profitability of a production operation under practical conditions. In two consecutive years, catfish fry were stocked in 0.08-ha ponds in the spring of the year and harvested about six months later. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in weight, number, or survival of fingerling catfish that were stocked either as sac fry or swim-up fry. Total savings were estimated to be $17,607/yr for a hatchery that stocked sac fry compared with a hatchery that stocked swim-up fry; or a savings of approximately 1% of total specified expenses. Feeding catfish swim-up fry in the hatchery for seven days prior to stocking in ponds for grow-out to fingerling size provided no benefit, in terms of fish survival or the quantity of fingerlings produced, when compared with fingerling yields from ponds stocked with two-day old (unfed) catfish sac fry. Thus, hatchery feeding of swim-up fry may be an uneconomical practice that might be effectively replaced by the stocking of sac fry within 48 h of hatching. Additional research is needed to determine if the results obtained in this study can be expected to occur under a wider range of production conditions before recommendations on the stocking of catfish sac fry are developed.