Keys to Successful Milkfish Farming Ra Province, Fiji Islands
Mark Rowel Napulan
Aquaculture Consultant
February 21, 2012
Knowing Milkfish Biology
Milkfish Farming Situation in the Philippines
Stocking Procedures
Review of Pond Dynamics
Farm Management
Geographic Distribution
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Broodstock • Mature at 5-7years old
• 65-80cm most fertile (Angeles, 1971)
• 4-8Kgs body weight (Angeles, 1971)
• Female Max Length: 124 cm
• Male Max. Length: 180
• Produce 100,000-400,000 pcs of fry per kilogram of body weight
Egg Hatching
• Egg division begins an hour after and hatching occurs 35-36 hours after spawning
• Milkfish eggs (1.1-1.2 mm in diameter)
• In the wild, eggs are probably released in deeper oceanic waters and in the outer reef region
• Salinity 29-34ppt
• Temp 26-32 degree celsius
Larvae Facts
• Started at 3.5mm
• Catch on shore at 10-17mm length
• Active swimmers proved by migration onshore and where they can be caught by fine-mesh nets operated along sandy beaches and mangrove area
• Relatively passive as carried by water currents during tide and wind direction
On the Fry Behaviour
• Fry appear inshore in great
numbers
• Distribute mainly in surface
• Fry are carried by water movements
• Fry enter coastal wetlands
• Fry are attracted by light
• Fry are caught by filtering and
driving
On the Fry Collection
• Fry appear most 10-30com in the surface
• Abundant in mouth of rivers , swamp
outlets and sandy beaches
• Notable coinciding with semi-lunar rhythm
▫ New Moon and Full Moon
• 1-3 hours before high tide is the peak catch
• Should be present in the area otherwise no
fry will be catch at all
Why Fry Dozer?
Designed by John Eric Basco
Photo taken by John Eric Basco
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Commercial pellet, mass of planktons and zooplanktons, larvae
Start feeding 80 hours after hatching
Copepod, Diatoms , Cyanobacteria Artificial diet, Artemia, Rotifer-chlorella
cyanobacteria, diatoms, and detritus, Filamentous green algae, Invertebrates (small crustaceans and worms.) Artificial feed.
Place Estimated area Gear type *Estimated
catch/person/day (4
hours/day)
Nasese 1 km area beach Fry barrier net, skimming net,
fry bulldozer and push net
500 to 1,000 fry
Bau/Gau beach 4 km river mouth and
beaches
Fry bulldozer and push net 500 to 1,000 fry
Kototonga Village,
Sigatoka
2 km beach/cove Fry barrier net, push net and
fry bulldozer
500 to 1,000 fry
Sigatoka River 4 km river mouth (both sides)
Tidal set net, fry barrier net
and push net
2,000 to 5,000 fry
Raviravi area, Ba fronting three floodgates Fry barrier net and push net 2,000 to 5,000 fry
Nabila village, Momi
bay 1 sq. km mangrove area
Skimming net and fry barrier
net
200 to 500 fry
Tavua bay 0.5 km beach
Skimming net and pushing
net 200 to 500 fry
Navua/Deuba 2 km beach/river mouth
Fry barrier net, push net and
tidal set net
500 to 1,000 fry
Tokotoko Beach
fronting floodgate 1 km beach and mangrove
area
Fry bulldozer, push net and
fry barrier net
500 to 1,000 fry
Nakalou Village,
Dreketi 500 m sandy beach
Push net and fry bulldozer 500 to 1,000 fry
Lekutu Village 1 km sandy beach Push net and fry bulldozer 500 to 1,000 fry
Biological Nature of Milkfish Filter feeders
Benthic feeders
Daytime feeders
Euryhaline
Phytophagous but carnivorous
Resistant to diseases and not cannibalistic
Exhibit compensatory growth
Artificial Breeding vs Wild Caught
Successfully bred in the hatchery
Mature after 5-10years old in captivity
Spawn spontaneously in concrete tanks or cages
Survival quality and grow rate is comparable with wild fry
Milkfish Farming Situation In The
Philippines
6.6% Increase in 2011
Cage Culture
-Stocking Density ranges from 20-30 per cu.m.
-Production per 600cu.m cage ranges from 2,400kgs-3,600kgs
-40-60tons per hectare
Fishery Issues Degradation of quality fingerling stocks due to inbreeding.
• Insufficient supply of quality bangus fry in far flung areas.
• High cost of farm inputs
• Lack of manpower to effectively transfer technology to the municipal level.
• Marketing layers which stand between producer and consumer; and
• Lost opportunities to participate in global market for value-added products
Issues and Trends
Climate Change
Mass Fish Kill/ Eutrophication
Mismanagement (Overstocking)
Weak Import Demand
Failure Imposition of Fishery Programs
800 tons Fish Kill in Taal Lake June 2011
Caused by: Upwelling Overstocking Lowering Dissolved Oxygen Eutrophication
• Acclimitization • Temperature shock • Salinity shock Acclimatization
• If equal or less than 5ppt salinity diff can stock in awhile
• If more than 5ppt gradually add up pond water until desired parameter is attained. Takes 30mins to 1hour.
Time Span
• Compute target density in nursery pond or HAPA
• Partially submerged the plastic then allow the fry to swim out
Proper Release
STEPS ON PROPER STOCKING
Steps in Acclimatization Process
• Open the fry plastic bags
• Let the bags float
• Add water gradually using hand/sprinkler
• Check salinity and temperature
• If salinity in the plastic bags is equal to that of the receiving pond submerged the plastic bags and allow fry to swim out
Milkfish Farming Basic
Regular monitoring and take action promptly
Establish good ecosystem And animal welfare
Predator Elimination & Proper Acclimatization
Determine the system
Management
Pond/Water preparation
Fry Collection & Stocking
Site Selection
Farm Management
Pond Preparation
Always Remember the Term “Carrying Capacity”
Sun Drying Plowing
Poisoning of
Unwanted
Animals Fertilization
PROCESS
OXIDIZE SOIL.
HELPS IN THE EVAPORATION OF HYDROGEN
SULFIDE AND OTHER TOXIC GASES.
AERATES THE SOIL PARTICLES AND FAVORS
AEROBIC ORGANIC MATTER DECOMPOSITION
AND MINERALIZATION.
ENSURES KILLING OF FISH AND PREDATORS
Review on Pond Dynamics: Daytime High Dissolved Oxygen High pH High Temp.
Algae
Waste Milkfish
Bacteria
Oxygen
Carbon Dioxide
Review on Pond Dynamics: Night time
Low Dissolved Oxygen Low pH Low Temp.
Algae
Bacteria
Milk fish
Waste
Carbon Dioxide
Oxygen Aerator
Wind
Pumps/Water exchnge
When rain comes…
Low Dissolved Oxygen Low pH Low Temp.
Salinity= 0 ppt
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Salinity= 25ppt
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When rain comes…
Lowering Salinity: Low Dissolved Oxygen: Low pH: Lowering Temp.: Algae Die-off:
Salinity= 0 ppt
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Top Drain Change water.Pump if possible Apply hydrated lime if necessary Reduce feed Fertilize again. Change water.
Feeding Management
Summary Of Known Requirements Of the Milkfish Chanos Chanos Forsskal
Source: SEAFDEC AQD 1994)
Nutrient Requirement
Protein 40% for Fry 30-40% for Juveniles
44% Protein:energy Essential Amino Acid %
Arginine 5.2 Histidine 2
Ileucine 4 Leucine 5.1
Lysine 4 Methionine + Cystine 2.5(cys, 0.8) Phenylalanine + Tyrosine 4.2(tyr, 1.0)
Threonine 4.5 Tryptophan 0.6
Valine 3.6 Lipid 7-10%
Essential Fatty Acids 1-1.5% n-3 PUFA Carbohydrates 25%
Digestible Energy 2500-3500Kcal/kg
Knowing the number of stock inside the pond matters!
What is Feed Rate? Example:
Stock: 10,000
Fry ABW (Ave Body Weight): 2gms
Feed rate: 4%
Feed/Day: ? Kgs
Computation:
Biomass: 10,000 x 2gms = 20Kgs
1,000
Feed/day= Biomass x Feedrate
= 2okgs x 4%
= 0.8kgs = 800gms
Remember Fry Can Consume Benthic Algae at 60% of Body Weight:
Feed/day= 20Kgs x 60%
= 12kgs of “Lablab”
Juvenile can consume 25 % of body weight
How to feed in the HAPA?
Feeding by satiation
Monitor fry closely when feeding
Normally 5-% feed by body weight
Protein 24%
Check predators always
Feeding Method
Feeding by Satiation
Milkfish Satiation last for 2-3hours
Digestion 5hours
Suggested Feeding Time 7am, 11am, 3pm
Demand Feeder: Pond
Adaptable or not?
Proper Culture Techniques…
“Any cultured specie will grow faster and survive more if the animal feels that they are taking care of properly”
Maintaining Optimum Water Parameters
Keep the Records
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Maintaining Enough Food Source:The Main Priority
Fish/Shrimp Stocking Density
Natural Food Organism
Exogenous or Artificial Feeding
………………EXTENSIVE
….……….SEMI-INTENSIVE
.………....INTENSIVE
Water Replenishment
• Reduce sedimentation
• Water dilution
• Waste reduction
• 30% volume 4times every spring tide
Fertilization
• Replenish nutrients
• Application rate:
-Combination of
5 g./m2 16-20-00 and
1.5 g./m2 46-00-00 or 30 g/m2 of chicken manure
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Gradual water
increase
• Tendency to float
Scoop if floating/die-
off
May result to
overgrazing
• Supplement
feeding using rice
bran, dried fish
meal or bread
crumbs
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A. Read Transparency Everyday
Ideal Reading:
20-30cm
1) Lag phase
2) Exponential phase : Mass
3) Retardation phase : Harvest
4) Stationary phase
5) Death phase Age of culture
Biom
ass
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3 4
5
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B. Replenish water before die-off.
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C. Fertilize again using organic fertilizer
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Manure Average Composition (%)
Moisture N P2O5 K20
Dairy
Cattle
85 0.5 0.2 0.5
Beef
Cattle
85 0.7 0.5 0.5
Poultry
(Chicken
Manure)
72 1.2 1.3 0.6
Swine 82 0.5 0.3 0.4
Sheep 77 1.4 1.4 1.2
Fertilizer constituents in fresh manure of selected farm animals. (Morrison,1961).
Prefer Obtain From Broiler Farms
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Ingredients 24% Protein
31% Protein
Fishmeal 10.8 16.1 Soybean Meal 23.8 35.7 Cassava leaf meal 13 13 Rice bran 27.9 17.4 Rice hull 15.5 8.4 Cod liver oil 2 2.2 Soybean oil 2 2.2 Breadflour 5 5 Proximate Analysis (Dry Matter Basis) 24 30.5 Crude Protein 11.4 11.2 Crude Fat 43.5 39.9 Nitrigen-free Extract 43.5 39.9 Crude Fiber 11.2 9.1 Ash 9.9 9.3 Metabolizable Energy (kcal/kg) 3,726 3,824
Feed with abw 5gms at 7,000sq.m
Found that protein quantity relative to growth does not vary instead with the amount of feed given
Suggest to feed 24% protein at 4% body weight
Rice Straw Compost
Feed: 24% protein
RSC: protein 7.4%, organic matter 37%, ash 64%
Tested
100%feed-0% RSC
50%feed-50%RSC
75%feed-25%RSC
25%feed-75%RSC Did not grow well
Recovery Rate:
83.9-98.2%
Other Alternatives Dried Fishmeal
Trash fish
Bread crumbs
Rice bran
Rice hull
Cassava meal
Copra meal
Other Things to Remember
Prevent Predator Entry
Tarpon (Megalops
cyprinoides)
Ten-pounder (Elops
machnata)
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Photo courtesy of John Eric Basco
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Check Fish Health
Weigh to get Average Body Weight
Correct Feed Estimation
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Pond Parameters are
Dynamic
Troubleshooting must be
Prompt
Changing of Water
Preferably night-time
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Total Drainage
Swimming against the current
Gill netting
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Handpicking method
after total drain
Result to Poor Quality
Mud Smell and taste
proliferates
Lower market value
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The same method
employ in sea
capture
Mark around napes
Lower market value
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Current method
Letting fish swim
near the gate then
scooped and seined
Quality retains
Less damaged
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