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Carp Fish Management

The perennial nursery ponds should be subjected to specific management practices which
encompasses the following steps

PRE-STOCKING MANAGEMENT
The ponds need to be prepared such that the pond environment provides optimum condition
for growth of the fish. The pond environment should be free from predators, aquatic weeds, weed
fish; it should have optimum water quality parameters and sufficient natural food should be
available in semi- intensive culture systems.
The steps involved in pre-stocking and post-stocking management are similar in the
nursery, rearing and grow-out ponds. An additional step in the pre-stocking management in nursery
ponds is the eradication of aquatic insects which predate on spawn and fry.
i. Draining & drying:
Pond needs to be drained a dried before culture operations begin. Drying facilitates in
• Oxidation of organic matter
• Degassing of toxic gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide
• It kills pathogenic micro organisms
• Kills predatory and weed fish
• Kills unwanted aquatic plants
Ponds should be dried for 7-10 days till the soil cracks the ponds with clayey soil; in sandy
soils they should be dried till the soil supports a person and foot prints do not form on the soil.
ii. Ploughing:
The ponds should be ploughed using wooden ploughs or power tillers or tractors.
Ploughing helps in
• Mixing up of soil which helps in oxidation of organic matter
• Proper degassing of soil from toxic gases
• Mineralization of nutrients.
iii. Liming:
The productivity of fish ponds depends on soil qualities such as Texture, Water retention,
pH, Organic carbon, Available nitrogen, Available phosphorous.
Pond bottom is important for productivity since process of mineralization of organic matter
and release of nutrients to the overlying water takes place. Liming helps in improving the quality
of the pond soil, thus enhancing productivity. It also corrects soil pH; the desirable pH is 6.5 –
7.00. A range of liming materials are used such as Agricultural lime or calcite (CaCO3), Dolomite
[CaMg(CO3)], Calcium hydroxide/slaked line Ca(OH)2, Calcium oxide/ quicklime – CaO
. The dose of a particular variety of lime depends on its effectiveness and soil pH. Generally,
200-500 kg/ha of line is used for application to pond soil. After application, the lime should be
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mixed with the top soil with light ploughing. Quick lime is preferred for applying to soil and calcite
agricultural lime for application to water after stocking of the ponds.
Liming helps in Correcting soil pH, Mineralization of organic matter, Release of soil sound
phosphorous to water, Disinfection of the pond bottom

iv. Pond fertilization

Fry and fingerlings of most fish such as carps feed on zooplankton. Sustained zooplankton
production in ponds depends on good phytoplankton and bacterial base. This is maintained through
adequate availability of nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous carbon and micronutrients in
ponds. Natural availability of these nutrients in ponds will be inadequate. Hence, they need to be
added through external sources for sustaining good plankton growth. Nutrients are added to water
through organic manures and inorganic fertilizers.
a. Organic manures: Organic manures are rich in carbon and contain nutrients such as N and P
in small amounts. They decompose slowly and release the nutrients slowly. They promote the
growth of zooplankton through saprophytic food chain. They promote sustained growth of
phytoplankton and zooplankton for longer periods of time. Several types of manures such as cow
dung, poultry litter, pig dung, horse dung etc., can be used to fertilize fish ponds. Most common
manures used in fish ponds are cow dung and poultry manure. Raw cow dung is generally applied
at a rate of 5-10 tons/ha 15 days before stocking. It can be also applied in phases; 2/3 of the amount
as basal dose and a second dose after a week of stocking. Poultry manure is 2-3 times richer than
cow dung in the content of nitrogen and phosphorus. Hence half the dose of cow dung is used,
when poultry manure is applied to the ponds.
b. Inorganic fertilizers: These are concentrated forms of nutrients such as N and P. Urea or
ammonium sulphate is used as a source of N while single or triple super phosphate is used as a
source of P. Inorganic fertilizers promote the production of phytoplankton on which zooplankton
production depends. Their action is very fast and when used in excess quantities promote blooms
of undesirable Blue Green Algae (BGA). Hence they should be used cautiously in fish ponds.

v. Clearance of weeds
A balanced biomass of submerged vegetation and algal growth is requisite for the
ecosystem of a composite culture pond. Excessive infestation is harmful. Clearance of weeds is
the primary consideration in case of reclamation of old ponds for fish culture. Water hyacinth,
ipomoea, sedges, rushes, lotus, lilies, otelia, vallisneria, pistia, salvinia, other aquatic grass and
planktonic and filamentous algae are the major menace to fish culture ponds. Ponds should be kept
free of all these aquatic weeds. Methods of weed control includes:
Manual and mechanical method: When infestation is scanty and scattered or water body is small,
weeds can be eradicated by hand picking, uprooting and/or by using scythes. Log weeder fitted
with spikes and barbed wire can be dragged. Mechanical winches may also be used for cutting
dense submerged weed.
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Chemical method: Large water bodies with heavy infestation can be cleared by applying chemical
weedicides. Dead weeds generally settle down to the bottom and decompose. Chemical device and
subsequent decomposition in situ, must not be adopted in high organic loaded water bodies.
vi. Eradication of predatory and weed fishes
Application of bleaching powder: Bleaching powder (Calcium hypochlorite) can be
applied at the rate of 25-30 ppm for this purpose. Required quantity is dissolved in water and
sprayed over the water surface. After 3-4 hours of spraying, the killed and distresses fishes are
removed by repeated netting. Bleaching powder is effective only when it is fresh and kept in air
tight container. Toxicity lasts for 7-8 days. Fishes killed by this method are edible. Dose of
bleaching powder can be reduced to half if it is applied 24 hrs after application of urea at the rate
100 kg/ha.
Repeated netting: Drag netting in quick succession is an alternate choice. Complete eradication
is not possible by this method.
Application of Mohua oil Cake: Oil cake of Mohua (Madhuca latifolia) can be applied as
pesticide at the rate of 250 ppm. Toxicity lasts for 15-20 days. Fish killed by the application of
mohua oil cake are edible. Mohua oil cake availability in Assam is limited.
Complete dewatering: Ponds are completely dewatered for proper reclamation and recovering.
In such cases, piscicides need not be applied for eradication of unwanted fishes. Fishes are caught
after dewatering.
Exposure of bottom to sun: After dewatering, pond bottom should be exposed to bright sun for
about 15-20 days till it cracks. Evacuation of ditches of ‘Fish-bone’ design should be done for
draining seepage water during the process. The water should be pumped out regularly.
Removal of muck: The pond bottom should be excavated to the optimum depth. Where optimum
depth exists excess muck should be removed.
Repairing of side slopes: Embankments and sides should be repaired while removing the muck.
Hard soil should be used for repairing the side slopes.
Soil correction: Bottom soil should be turned up for recovering the pond properly. Ploughing
helps in releasing many obnoxious gases and in making the soil soft and bottom should be treated
with lime as given in following sections.
vii. Insect control:
* Soap oil emulsion is most commonly used for control of harmful insects like notonecta, ranatra,
nepa etc. Soap-oil emulsion is a mixture of oil and soap (vegetable oil @ 56 kg ha-1 with soap @
18 kg ha-1) used to kill primarily the air breathing insects. The mixture is prepared by slight heating
after mixing the ingredients and sprayed over the surface of the water to create an oil film covering
the entire pond water surface.
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 The mixture should be applied before 20-24 hours of stocking of spawn in the pond. For this a
comparatively calm weather with no rain or wind is selected so that the oil film is retained for
sufficient period of time to kill the air breathing insects through suffocation.
 After killing, the dead insects may be removed through netting.
 Liquid detergent may also be used in place of soap and in lieu of vegetable oil, diesel, kerosene
oil or turpentine may be used. Emulsion of kerosene @ 100-200 litre ha-1 or diesel @ 75 litre ha-
1 and liquid soap @ 560 ml ha-1 or detergent powder @ 2-3 kg ha-1 water area can be applied as
an effective substitute.

STOCKING MANAGEMENT
Stocking management is the management followed at the time of release of fish seed in
fish ponds. Fish seeds of adequate size should be released in pre-prepared ponds after
acclimatization to the new habitat. Size and number of fry are important factors for high yield.
In Nursery pond One million seed per hectare can be used in nursery pond. Only 20-50%
of small fish can survive in this method. By improving the pond conditions, ten million fish seeds
per hectare can be used for up to 60% fish survival. At the time the carp fry are released into the
nursery pond, if the value of plankton in the water is 30-40 ml / m3, the stock can be 1.5-2.5 million
per hectare. Two or more small fish should not be reared in nursery pools. After 3 days of hatching,
the fry should be released when they are 0.6 – 0.75 mm in size. There are 500 small fish in one ml
of water.
In rearing ponds, 12-day-old fingerlings of 20-25 mm size are released up to 2 lakh per
hectare. Fish of the same species or of different species can be raised. Small fishes are released in
appropriate proportions. Catla, Rohu, Mrigala are dropped in the ratio of 3:4:3 or 4:3:3. They are
reared in rearing ponds from fry to fingerling stages. 0.25-0.3 million/ha are left to provide 80%
living conditions. The plankton level in the rearing pool should be around 30-50 ml/m3 at the time
of leaving the fryers.
Stocking ponds: Healthy fingerling stages of 100-150 mm size are released into stocking
ponds at the rate of 4000-10,000 per hectare. Juveniles of 75-100 mm size can also be released
into the lagoon if it is ensured that there are no predatory fishes, weed fishes and other fauna that
harm the reared fish. Keeping in view the competition between the different heads of the pond i.e.
surface water, middle water and bottom water in terms of food for the fry. Juveniles of different
species should be released in appropriate proportions. Catla, Rohu and Mrigala are dropped in the
ratio of 3:4:3 or 4:3:3. In carp fish polyculture, 5000 small fishes are generally released in one
hectare pond, yielding 3-5 tons per year. 8000-10000 small fishes should be released for annual
yield of 5-8 tonnes and 15000 to 25000 small fishes for 10-15 tonnes yield.
Method of stacking Fingerlings, fry and fingerling stages should be released into rearing
ponds very carefully. Care should be taken to ensure that the fish do not die from stress or infection
after release. They should be slowly and gradually acclimated to water temperatures and water
quality and released slowly. Open the seed transport bags or containers and slowly add pond water
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to them to acclimate them to the water. The fry should be released slowly in this manner by slowly
holding the seed carrier bag tilted into the pool water for 15-20 minutes, preferably in the cool
evening hours.

POST STOCKING MANAGEMENT

This phase includes the activities to be undertaken from stocking of fingerlings up to
the final harvesting of fish from the pond. The activities are manuring, feeding, growth and health
monitoring, water quality monitoring and harvesting.
i. Manuring / Fertilizing
Besides, application of high dose of basal manuring / fertilizing before stocking, regular addition
of manure / fertilizer in small quantities is required in order to ensure in tempted supply of natural
fish food. Organisms in the pond manuring / fertilizing should be done monthly or fortnight at
regular intervals and the quantities should be in split doses.
ii. Supplementary feeding
a. Feeding management in nursery ponds:
Soon after stocking, the fish start grazing natural food available in the pond irrespective of
their stage of life cycle. Spawn feeds voraciously on plankton. Therefore, immediate steps must
be taken for providing supplementary feed. In the case of nursery pond where spawn are reared for
about a fortnight up to fry stage, supplementary feed is broadcast on the pond surface in the form
of fine powder daily in the morning hours at prescribed rates as follows –
Feeding schedule for raising spawn to fry stage – (Nursery ponds)

Approximate quantity per lakh of

Period Rate of feeding per day
spawn/day
4 times the initial total weight of
1st to 5th day 500-600g
spawn stocked
8 times the initial weight of spawn
6th to 13th day 1120-1200g
stocked
14th day No feeding -
15th day Harvesting -

 For supplementary feeding a mixture of finely powdered groundnut/mustard oil cake and rice
bran polish, in equal proportion by weight is supplied to the spawn. In addition to this mixture
micronutrients like cobalt chloride may be added for better result.
 Generally at this stage, finely grind feed is supplied through broadcasting over the pond surface
commencing from the day of stocking during the morning hours and it should be stopped one day
earlier to the harvesting programme.
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 In adverse ecological conditions, feeding should be suspended temporarily. In grass carp spawn
raising programme, chopped and minced vegetations like Wolffia and Hydrilla may be provided
as feed after 10-12 days of stocking.
b. Feeding management in rearing ponds:
Soon after stocking, supplementary feeding is done as cited under –
 Rice bran and mustard oil cake are mixed at the ratio of 1:1 by weight for preparing
supplementary feed for fry. The amount of application of supplementary feed varies depending
upon the bodyweight and their age.
 During first month of rearing, supplementary feed is provided at the rate of 8-10% of the total
body weight of stocked biomass, while during second and third month, feed is supplied at the rate
of 6-8% and 4-6% respectively of their body weight.
 Both bag or tray feeding and broadcasting method are found suitable for feeding the fry.
 For herbivorous fishes like grass carp, aquatic vegetations like Wolfia, Lemna, Spirodela, Azolla,
Hydrilla, Valisneria, Najas, Potamogeton etc. and grasses like Para as well as selected terrestrial
and semi-aquatic vegetation should be provided after proper washing and mincing.
 Feed is generally not given during cloudy days and also when there is algal bloom in the pond.
c. Feeding management in stocking ponds:
 Supplementary feeding comprising of 1:1 mixture of any oil cake (Mustard/ Groundnut/ Til/
Coconut) and rice polish or rice/wheat bran is given at the rate of 3% of the body weight of the
stocked fish per day, commencing from the second day of stocking. The quantity can however be
adjusted according to the rate of consumption of the fish through daily observation.
 The feed is better utilized if the fish are fed twice daily – morning and evening.
 Both mustard oil cake and rice bran should be mixed together and made into dough. Then the
feed is kept in a bamboo tray and placed at a particular depth of the pond. The feeding tray is tied
to a pole fixed on the embankment with the help of a rope to avoid displacement of the tray. For 1
ha of a fish pond, 10 to 15 trays are sufficient. Depending upon the depth of the pond, the feeding
trays are adjusted to different depths by shortening or lengthening of the rope.
 The health of fish needs to be checked regularly by periodic netting at least once in two months.
Healthy fish grow well and feed voraciously. If it is observed that the feed provided is not being
consumed, either the fish is suffering from some disease or the water quality is deteriorated. A
check on the water quality and hygiene of the pond and the health of the fish is necessary to take
remedial measures.
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iii. Regular sampling of fish
In a proper fish production management system, periodic sampling at regular internal is very
important with a view to
- Checking the health condition of the fish
- Monitoring the growth rate of fish
- Calculating the quantity of supplementary feed to be applied in accordance with the increasing
biomass of fish
- Estimating survival and mortality of fish in the pond
Periodic sampling of fish should be done at least once in a month. In each sampling 10-20
fish of every species should be taken for growth measurement. For sampling, complete netting of
pond by seine net is better. However, partial netting of pond also serves the purpose of sampling.
During each sampling data relating to fish health and growth rate has to be properly recorded. Any
undesirable fish, if somehow get into the pond, must be removed if found in the sample netting. In
case of some fish exhibit the symptoms of any disease, suitable curative measures should be taken
immediately. However, prophylactic treatment measure such as giving the fish dip in potassium
permanganate at 250-500ppm / minutes should be strictly followed before releasing the fish back
in the pond.
iv. Harvesting of fish
Harvesting of fish means the complete removal of fish from the pond at the end of
production. A single stocking and a single harvesting are the common practice in existence.
a. Harvesting of fry:  The fry in about 15 days of time generally grows up to 25-30 mm in size.
They are harvested with fine meshed (1.5 mm) dragnet/nursery net in the cool morning hours
avoiding heavy shower or too hot days.
 The fry produced in nursery ponds are harvested after attaining the desired length and are
transferred to rearing pond to raise them up to fingerling stage, which is considered as the suitable
stage for stocking in culture or grow out ponds.
 In a seed raising farm, a nursery pond can be utilized for raising of 5-6 batches of spawn to fry
stage considering average culture period of 20-25 days per batch.
b. Harvesting of fingerling: Harvesting of fingerlings should be done during morning hours with
repeated netting with dragnet of suitable mesh size. Supplementary feeding should be stopped one
day prior to the day of harvesting. The rearing ponds can be utilized to raise 2-3 batches of
fingerlings in a season with average culture period of 2-3 months per batch.
c. Harvesting of fish: Normally in stocking ponds fish is allowed to grow for 12 months and
during this period Catla attains a weight of 800 gm – 1 kg; Rohu 600 – 800 gm; Mrigal 400 – 600
gm; Silver carp 1.0 – 1.2 kg; Grass carp 1.0 – 1.5 kg and Common carp 800 gm – 1.0 kg.