Aquaculture – catfishanimalscience2.ucdavis.edu/.../Lectures/ANS18-10-L04-CATFISH-CULT.pdfANS 18 - CATFISH 2 A great little book on the south and catfish farming The Delta Catfish

ANS 18ANS 18 -- CATFISHCATFISH 11

AquacultureAquaculture –– catfishcatfish

The Delta


A great little book on the south andA great little book on the south andcatfish farmingcatfish farming

The Delta

Catfish and theDelta:Confederate FishFarming in theMississippi Deltaby RichardSchweid


AquacultureAquaculture –– Classification byClassification byTemperatureTemperature

TypeType ColdwaterColdwater WarmwaterWarmwater TropicalTropical

ClimaticClimaticConditionCondition

TemperateTemperate SubtropicalSubtropical TropicalTropical

ExampleExample RainbowRainbowtrouttrout

ChannelChannelcatfishcatfish

TilapiaTilapia

OptimumOptimumGrowthGrowth

1010 –– 1616ooCC 2929ooCC 3030ooCC

Temp.Temp.ToleranceTolerance

44 -- 2626ooCC 44 -- 3535ooCC 1010 -- 4040ooCC


FA0FA0 -- 20082008Global catfish production = 2,781,000Global catfish production = 2,781,000 mtmt

~ 8 % of global fish production/yr~ 8 % of global fish production/yr

U.S. catfish production = 234,000U.S. catfish production = 234,000 mtmt~ 8 % of all catfish produced~ 8 % of all catfish produced

IctalurusIctalurus punctatuspunctatus


History and infrastructureHistory and infrastructure

••Sport fishing hatcheriesSport fishing hatcheries

••19501950’’s Homers Homer SwingleSwingle and students at Auburn University inand students at Auburn University inAlabama examined the potential of commercial cultureAlabama examined the potential of commercial culture

••19551955 –– 19701970 commercial culture centered in Arkansascommercial culture centered in Arkansas

••> 1970> 1970 MississippiMississippi


Catfish production pondsCatfish production ponds -- 5 to 205 to 20acres in sizeacres in size


Catfish production pondsCatfish production ponds


Pond sizePond size

Pond size is a compromise between easePond size is a compromise between easeof management (small ponds areof management (small ponds arepreferable) and construction cost (largepreferable) and construction cost (largeponds are cheaper). Small ponds 5ponds are cheaper). Small ponds 5 –– 1010acres are used for brood fish andacres are used for brood fish andfingerling production while production orfingerling production while production orgrowoutgrowout ponds are typically 15 to 20 acresponds are typically 15 to 20 acresin sizein size


Limited ProductionLimited Production

•• CagesCages ––reservoirsreservoirs

•• RacewaysRaceways ––geothermalgeothermalwaterswaters

•• WatershedWatershedpondsponds –– hillhillcountrycountry


Catfish production cycle = 2 yrsCatfish production cycle = 2 yrs


Biology of channel catfishBiology of channel catfish IctalurusIctaluruspunctatuspunctatus

For more detailsFor more details –– seesee ““Channel CatfishChannel Catfish –– Life History andLife History andBiologyBiology”” available at http://available at http://aqua.ucdavis.eduaqua.ucdavis.edu//


Water quality variablesWater quality variables

VariableVariable OptimalOptimal Tolerated LevelTolerated Level

SalinitySalinity 0.50.5 -- 33 pptppt <0.1<0.1 -- 88 pptppt

TemperatureTemperature 2626 -- 3030ooCC +0+0 -- 4040oo CC

Dissolved oxygenDissolved oxygen 55 –– 1515 ppmppm 22 –– 300% saturation300% saturation

pHpH 66 -- 99 55 -- 1010

UnUn--ionizedionizedammoniaammonia

00 < 0.2< 0.2 ppmppm as Nas N

NitrateNitrate 00 Depends on chlorideDepends on chlorideconc.conc.


BroodstockBroodstock cultureculture


ReproductionReproduction•• Spawn once a year in the springSpawn once a year in the spring

•• For reliable spawning,For reliable spawning, broodfishbroodfish should beshould be 33lbs. in size andlbs. in size and 3 years of age3 years of age

•• Channel catfish weighing between 4 and 8 lbsChannel catfish weighing between 4 and 8 lbsare primeare prime spawnersspawners

•• Females produce 3,000Females produce 3,000 –– 4,000 eggs/per lb of4,000 eggs/per lb ofweight and continue for about 12 years.weight and continue for about 12 years.

•• Fish larger than 10 lbs. are difficult to handleFish larger than 10 lbs. are difficult to handleand thus are replaced by younger fish.and thus are replaced by younger fish.

•• Commercial fingerling producers useCommercial fingerling producers usemale/female ratios of 2:3 or 1:2 in spawningmale/female ratios of 2:3 or 1:2 in spawningponds.ponds.


HatcheryHatchery –– 2626ooC (= 78C (= 78ooF)F)

•• Eggs hatch in ~ 7Eggs hatch in ~ 7daysdays

•• YolkYolk--fryfry -- yolk isyolk isabsorbed in ~ 7absorbed in ~ 7days and the fishdays and the fishbegin to feedbegin to feed

•• SwimSwim--up fryup fry


Fingerling ProductionFingerling Production

•• Once the fish feed readily, they areOnce the fish feed readily, they aremoved to nursery ponds where they growmoved to nursery ponds where they growinto fingerlingsinto fingerlings

CatfishCatfish GrowoutGrowout

•• At 4At 4 -- 6 inches in length, larger6 inches in length, larger

fingerlings (stockers) are transferred tofingerlings (stockers) are transferred to

catfish growcatfish grow--out ponds at a density ofout ponds at a density of

approximately 5000 per acreapproximately 5000 per acre


Catfish feedCatfish feed

Typically floating feed isTypically floating feed isusedused


Catfish protein requirements forCatfish protein requirements forgrowoutgrowout compared to other speciescompared to other species

SpeciesSpecies Protein % of DietProtein % of Diet

Channel catfishChannel catfish 3232

Common carpCommon carp 3434

Grass carpGrass carp 4242

SalmonSalmon 4040 -- 4545

Japanese eelJapanese eel 4444


Nutrition and FeedsNutrition and FeedsProtein requirementsProtein requirements

Fish Weigh (GramsFish Weigh (Grams % of Diet% of Diet

0.020.02 –– 0.250.25 5252

0.250.25 –– 1.51.5 4848

1.51.5 –– 5.05.0 4444

5.05.0 -- 20.0 (< 1 oz)20.0 (< 1 oz) 4040

> 20.0> 20.0 ~ 32~ 32


Catfish feed ingredientsCatfish feed ingredientsIngredientsIngredients % of Diet% of Diet

Soybean meal (48% protein)Soybean meal (48% protein) 46.746.7

Fish meal, menhaden (60% protein)Fish meal, menhaden (60% protein) 4.04.0

Meat and blood meal (65% protein)Meat and blood meal (65% protein) 4.04.0

Corn screeningsCorn screenings 39.239.2

WheatWheat middsmidds 4.04.0

DicalciumDicalcium phosphatephosphate 1.01.0

Vitamin premixVitamin premix 0.10.1

Mineral premixMineral premix 0.050.05

Catfish oilCatfish oil 1.01.0


Feeding rates and temperatureFeeding rates and temperature ––Fry or fingerlingsFry or fingerlings

Water tempWater temp ooCC FrequencyFrequency % body% bodyweight/dayweight/day

> 31> 31 1 X / day1 X / day 11

2727 -- 3030 2 X / day2 X / day 33

2020 -- 2626 1 X / day1 X / day 22

1414 -- 1919 1 X / day1 X / day 22

1010 -- 1414 Alternate daysAlternate days 11

< 10< 10 33rdrd or 4or 4thth dayday 0.50.5


Catfish harvestingCatfish harvesting


U.S. catfish industry uses aU.S. catfish industry uses amultiplemultiple--batch harvesting approachbatch harvesting approach(also called(also called ““toppingtopping””,, ““continuouscontinuousharvestingharvesting””, or, or ““understockingunderstocking””))

•• Stock 5000Stock 5000

•• Seine harvest (grade) 2000Seine harvest (grade) 2000 30003000remaining + restock 2000remaining + restock 2000

•• Seine harvest (grade) 2000Seine harvest (grade) 2000 30003000remaining + restock 2000remaining + restock 2000

•• ETC.ETC.


Advantages of the multipleAdvantages of the multiple--batchbatchharvesting approachharvesting approach

MultipleMultiple--batch allows harvest from abatch allows harvest from acombination of farms to meet thecombination of farms to meet thedemands of processing plants throughoutdemands of processing plants throughoutthe year. It is also allows the farmer 1) tothe year. It is also allows the farmer 1) tomaintain cashmaintain cash--flow and 2) to reduce theflow and 2) to reduce therisk of delayed inventory due to offrisk of delayed inventory due to off--flavorflavorepisodes which tend to occur in the fall.episodes which tend to occur in the fall.


HarvestingHarvesting

•• Harvested by seines (large weighted nets) at 18Harvested by seines (large weighted nets) at 18–– 24 months of age, harvested catfish average24 months of age, harvested catfish average1 to 1.5 lbs.1 to 1.5 lbs.

•• Net mesh size of 1Net mesh size of 1 ¾¾ used to harvest fish in theused to harvest fish in therange of 1range of 1 ¼¼ -- 11 ½½ lblb

•• Removed from the seines by mechanical basket,Removed from the seines by mechanical basket,they are shipped live tothey are shipped live toprocessing plants inprocessing plants inaerated tank trucks.aerated tank trucks.Typically harvesting isTypically harvesting isdone bydone by ““customcustomharvestersharvesters””..


CatfishCatfishprocessingprocessing


Primary product (60%) = filletsPrimary product (60%) = fillets(~ 40% yield from a 1(~ 40% yield from a 1 –– 2 lb fish)2 lb fish)

•• catfish are kept alive up until the minute they'recatfish are kept alive up until the minute they'reprocessed. The entire processing process isprocessed. The entire processing process iscompleted in less than 30 minutes.completed in less than 30 minutes.

•• fish are cleaned, processed and placed on ice orfish are cleaned, processed and placed on ice orfrozen to temperatures offrozen to temperatures of -- 4040ooF below zero.F below zero.Frozen farmFrozen farm--raised catfish are individually quickraised catfish are individually quick--frozen (IQF), a method which preserves thefrozen (IQF), a method which preserves thetaste and quality of the fish.taste and quality of the fish.

•• Plants are inspected and certified by the U.S.Plants are inspected and certified by the U.S.Department of CommerceDepartment of Commerce

•• 20 certified processing plants have a combined20 certified processing plants have a combinedcapacity of more than 10 million pounds ofcapacity of more than 10 million pounds ofcatfish every week.catfish every week.

Documents

Aquaculture – catfishanimalscience2.ucdavis.edu/.../Lectures/ANS18-10-L04-CATFISH-CULT.pdfANS 18 - CATFISH 2 A great little book on the south and catfish farming The Delta Catfish