Production Methods

 

This 137 page section presents detailed methods and techniques for all phases of production, from holding broodstock to breeding, larval rearing, grow-out, and packing and shipping. The section, which covers specifically the egg-scatterers, is used as a ‘reference section’ for all species, because so many of the culture methods are commonly used for all species.

The section is designed to be used in conjunction with Part 4, which gives methods specific to different families and groups. It can also be used to enlarge on the concise information provided in Part 10  ‘INDIVIDUAL SPECIES’.

Contents by topic headings:

GROUP 1: BATCH-SPAWNING THE EGG-SCATTERERS
(REFERENCE SECTION FOR ALL GROUPS)

HOLDING AND CONDITIONING BROODSTOCK
3.1       Holding facilities and stocking densities
3.2       Water chemistry and maintaining water quality
3.3       Broodstock holding temperature
3.4       Light
3.5       Broodstock: numbers, turnover and replacement
3.6       Mixing species
3.7       Ratios of males to females
3.8       Separation of the sexes
3.9       Selecting broodstock: purity of strains and other considerations
3.10     Genetic diversity
3.11     Conditioning: diets
3.12     Feeding
3.13     Breeding age
3.14     Recognizing spawning ripeness
3.15     Time needed for breeders to reach spawning ripeness and their recovery-timebetween spawns
3.16     The reproductive lifespan of broodstock in commercial production

SETTING UP FOR SPAWNING
3.17     Spawning tanks

3.18     Hygiene
3.19     Water: chemistry, depth and temperature
3.20     Spawning medium
3.21     Tank dividers
3.22     Peat extract
3.23     Spawn robbing and its prevention
3.24     Aeration
3.25     Lighting
3.26     Tank layout for spawning
3.27     Step by step preparation for spawning

INTRODUCING THE BREEDERS
3.28     Grouping of males to females – gender ratios for spawning
3.29     Catching and selecting breeders for spawning
3.30     Selecting ripe spawners
3.31     Introducing breeders to the spawning tank: sizing
3.32     Introducing breeders to the spawning tank: water temperature and pH
3.33     Introducing breeders to the spawning tank: timing
3.34     Feeding during spawning
3.35     Expected time from introduction until spawning takes place

SPAWNING
3.36     Spawning: time of day and duration
3.37     Spawning activities
3.38     Detecting and observing eggs
3.39     When and how to remove breeders and spawning medium after spawning

CARE OF EGGS
3.40     Development of eggs
3.41     Aspects of egg care

CARE OF PRE-FEEDING LARVAE
3.42     Aspects of larval care
3.43     Moving larvae to rearing tanks
3.44     Characteristics of larvae before becoming free-swimming
3.45     Uniformity of development (growth and behaviour)
3.46     Microscope use

REARING FRY – FROM FIRST FEED TO ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF AGE
3.47     First stage of rearing in a two-stage style of production
3.48     Initial stocking density when moving larvae from spawning tanks to glass
rearing tanks
3.49     Recognizing when larvae are free-swimming and ready to feed
3.50     First dietary options
3.51     Timing the first feed
3.52     Administering the first feed
3.53     Feeding frequency
3.54     How much to feed on an ongoing basis
3.55     Maintaining water quality
3.56     Bacteria in the water
3.57     Diseases
3.58     Other troublesome organisms
3.59     Light
3.60     Behaviour of fry
3.61     Stocking density
3.62     Size-variation and cannibalism
3.63     Temperature and growth rates
3.64     Deformities
3.65     Weaning fry from brine shrimp onto prepared diets
3.66     Summary of first feeding and other rearing procedures

GROW-OUT TO SELLABLE SIZE
3.67     Grow-out facilities
3.68     Grow-out strategies
3.69     Water chemistry and maintaining good water quality
3.70     Stocking density
3.71     Mixing species (polyculture)
3.72     Introducing fry to the grow-out facility (second stage)
3.73     Diets
3.74     Feeding
3.75     Temperature and growth rates
3.76     Maintaining health and well-being

HARVESTING, PACKING AND SHIPPING
3.77     Selling size
3.78     Harvesting, sorting, counting, holding and purging
3.79     Packing and shipping

Sample pages from this section:

Page 60, under ‘HOLDING AND CONDITIONING BROODSTOCK’
Page 82, from 3.27 ‘Step by step preparation for spawning’.
Page 94, from 3.40 ‘Development of eggs’ under ‘CARE OF EGGS’.
Page 107, under 3.49 ‘Recognizing when larvae are free-swimming and ready to feed’.
Page 129, a section from 3.61 ‘Stocking density’.