HOW TO PREPARE YOUR POND FOR FISH.

Having finished the construction of your pond, the next stage is to make it conducive for the cat fish. The following point are worthy of note to enhance their health and well-being while waiting for your fingerlings.

(1)  Create a Dark Environment:

Cat fishes feed better and feel more comfortable the darker the environment. So create a good and tight shade using:

a.     Aluminum span roofing sheets or Asbestos,

b.     Tarpaulin Nylon preferable

c.      Raffia thatched roof.

d.     Sliced bamboo sticks

e.     Floating plants like Salvinia, Waterhycint, Water Lettuce etc. for large ponds.

    

(2) Cover it with Mosquito Mesh net:

This is necessary if your fingerlings are less than 2 inches to prevent cannibalism by frogs and messy spawning in your ponds by Toads. This is not necessary if you buy juveniles about 3 inches and above at N200 each. (I highly recommend this as your starting point for guarantee result!).

(3) Run-in your quality water:

(i)                Tap water: Leave it in the pond for 2 days before introducing the fish to as let off chlorine or chloramine added from the water works as disinfectant because it could harm fish.

(ii)             Well Water or Borehole Source: Just allow the water to run through a shower rose sprinkler or splash against the pond wall to remove the carbon dioxide in the water (for ground water source below 120ft depth) then leave it for 2 days.

(iii)           Rain Water: Your collection has to be free from run-off prevent iron and asbestos contamination.

(iv)           Stream/River or Tidal Movement Water: You must ensure the placement of appropriate mesh screen to prevent dangerous predator from entering your pond via the inlet.

1.                Washing Off Cement:

If your facility is raceway built with block or concrete, you will need to wash-off the cement (or you might lose your fingerlings to the alkalinity occasioned by the cement dust).

Take the following steps:

a.       Fill the pond(s) with water to the brim.

b.     Dump dry glass, dry chicken droppings (say 20kg bag for a 10m x 2mx 1m container) inside it for about 3-5 days. The materials will rot and leach out acidic substances that will counteract the ‘alkalize water’ occasioned by the cement.

c.      Empty the whole contents inside the pond and wash the pond thoroughly.

d.     Fill the pond with water once again in preparation for your fingerlings.

2.                Carry out Water test:

For those who would be very serious in their approach to the business, it will be important to test your water before embarking on a major commercial Catfish farming operation to see if it tally’s with the exact requirement of your Catfish fingerlings. Below is your requirement table:

Oxygen          -                            Greater than 3 parts per million

TOC                -                            20-30 Degree Celsius, 27 degree Celsius optimum

PH                  -                            6.5 – 8

Nitrogen       -                            < 120% saturation

Co2                -                            < 15 ppm

NH3               -                            < 0.05 ppm

NH4+            -                             < 0.50 ppm

NO2              -                             < 0.25 ppm

No3               -                            250 ppm

Cu                  -                            < 0.03 ppm

Zn                  -                            < 0.1 ppm

Cd                  -                            < 0.0006 ppm

Salinity          -                            < 15,000ppm

3.                Fertilization:

There is no need for you to fertilize your water because your feeding will be semi intensive. For those who will be interested in large earthen ponds, they can only be advised to add poultry manure.