How to turn fish farming into a profitable business. Fish farming business - how to organize a profitable fish farm

Fish farming is a suitable business for those who like to spend hours fishing in water bodies. Having skills in this area, it is enough to devote 4-5 hours a day to production to make a profit. You can raise fish at your summer cottage: in a pond or pool. The market values the products of small farms, considering them environmentally friendly.

First of all, when starting a business, you need to decide where you will breed fish. Possible options:

Under natural conditions (pond farming).
In the pool - the method is suitable for growing salmon, carp, bream, perch, pike.
In cages - for large fish.
In barrels or baths with an artificial air aeration system.

Draw up an individual business plan for your future enterprise. Be sure to include:

stages of project implementation;
necessary equipment and personnel;
calculation of costs and payback period;
marketing strategy.

An example of a business plan can be found below. When planning, take into account the features of feeding and maintenance - they vary depending on the type of fish.

Scheme of an automated fish farm - several pools and a water supply and purification system

Benefits and risks

The fish farming business remains profitable even during periods of declining market prices for finished products. Thus, with the cost of carp being 60 rubles/kg, the profitability of medium-sized production is 10%.

Organizing your own pond or swimming pool involves some difficulties, such as:

Documents for company registration

You can register a fishery in the form of a limited liability company (LLC), an individual enterprise (IE) or a peasant farm (peasant farm). Necessary documents for company registration:

application for state registration of a legal entity;
protocol on the creation of an organization (for individual entrepreneurs - the decision on creation);
receipt of payment of state duty;
the organization's charter in two copies and a request to receive a certified copy of the document (except for individual entrepreneurs);
copy of passport (for individual entrepreneurs).

Be careful when filling out the application, as the registration authority has the right to refuse to accept documents, even if it discovers an error in the formulation of sentences or page numbering.

Application forms:

P21001 – for an individual entrepreneur;
P11001 – for LLC;
R21002 – for peasant farms.

To start work, you also need permission from the sanitary and epidemiological service.

Location and installation of the reservoir

When choosing a pond for fish breeding you must:

estimate its area, depth and volume;
check the acidity and temperature of the water. The optimal range for trout is 16-19 degrees, for carp – 24 degrees Celsius;
find out information about settlements within a radius of 50 km from the reservoir and access roads for transporting fish.

Large reservoirs have an even temperature regime and hydrochemical structure. To adjust parameters, use cleaning and disinfection units and oxygen generators. Clear the bottom of silt and algae, and monitor the amount of vegetation in the reservoir.

Types of ponds of natural origin:

channel;
floodplain;
beam

Reservoirs for breeding and raising fry:

feeding;
growing up;
spawning;
wintering

A swimming pool or bathtub can be installed in a utility room on your own site. To maintain an artificial reservoir, closed water supply installations are required.

Scheme of organizing a fish farm based on several ponds

Equipment for raising fry

The process of growing fish is ensured by closed water supply (RAS) installations. They create an artificial environment close to the natural one, eliminate wintering conditions, and accelerate the process of population growth.

RAS components:

pool;
filtration systems – mechanical and biological;
a group of pumps for supplying purified water;
denitrification plants;
acidity control units;
oxygen generators for saturating water with oxygen;
heat generators.

In natural reservoirs, gravity filters, compressors that provide oxygen access to fish, and ultraviolet sterilizers are used. Equipment varies depending on the size of the reservoir and the types of its inhabitants.

Elements of a fish keeping system in a pool

What type of fish to choose for breeding

Fish species suitable for artificial breeding on an industrial scale:

carp and others from the carp family.

Study the literature about the characteristics of different types of fish. If you decide to grow several at once, then select them in such a way that they do not conflict with each other. So, perches are predators and can eat fry.

Cyprinids feed on larvae, cereals, legumes and grain crops. They readily eat peas, corn and animal feed. In summer, fish are less active in feeding, and in autumn, on the contrary, they store fat for the winter season.

The market price of trout is higher than carp, but it is also more difficult to grow, as it requires professional care.

Types of fish for artificial breeding (gallery)

Trout Perch Tench Carp crucian carp

Nuances of feeding

For intensive weight gain, feed the fish with mixed feed containing 28% protein and 8% fat. The cost of food for the carp population is 8 rubles/kg, for trout – 70-80 rubles/kg.

When overfed, the fish slows down its growth, so stick to the following norm - 1-3% of the individual’s body weight per day.

Use automatic feeders for a regular supply of feed or a bell to give the fish a conditional signal about feeding.

The sizes of feed pellets vary by fish species

Sales of products and additional sources of income

To quickly sell fish, do not inflate prices at the beginning of work. Find three or four stores that are ready to accept products for sale.

Most of the fish on the shelves is brought from abroad at inflated prices, so grocery store owners gladly agree to cooperate with a local producer to reduce the input cost of products.

List of stores where you can offer goods:

city markets;
supermarket chains;
restaurants and cafes;
online stores;
own retail outlet.

The basis of the fishing business is the investments of regular customers. For additional income you can organize:

paid fishing. In this case, it is necessary to think through the structure of the reservoir and approaches to it. Develop paths, install walkways and ladders, trim bushes around and regularly mow the grass. You should also fence off the pond area and install a guard;
sale of fishing equipment;
rental (if you own a large body of water and two or three boats);
point of sale for selling goods.

Example of a fishing bridge

Recruitment

You can organize a business alone, but during the work process it is better to hire an assistant - a professional fish farmer or equipment administrator. Staff positions of fish farming organizations:

breeding specialist;
accountant;
administrative staff;
RAS operators;
auxiliary workers.

Promotion of products on the market

The supplier's key advertising tools are product quality and responsibility. If your fish is fresh and supplies are regular, stores will be happy to cooperate. Set prices in line with market averages to attract new customers. Advertising promotion methods:

social media;
cooperation with local media;
network work.

Take advantage of the Internet at work:

Register VKontakte, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Take photos of the product, write interesting stories about each product, attract subscribers. Hire an employee for regular promotion on social networks.
Develop a business card website to present the company's services and products. Give away products and arrange discount days when ordering online.
Join online communities of professional fish farmers and expand your horizons. Present your product, leave comments under other users' posts.
Make friends with the press and get them interested. Write press releases, invite the media to significant events in the fishery industry. Create a media database for sending out information messages.

Write regularly, but unobtrusively - journalists do not like it when hundreds of identical materials are dumped on them a month. Find columnists who write for your target audience.

Networking involves concluding partnership agreements with like-minded organizations. Agree on cooperation with a fishing tackle store. Organize a joint drawing - for example, give a client who bought three kilograms of fish from you a fishing hook as a gift. Agree with partners so that they attract clients to you. If you have a public organization in your city that deals with fishing issues, join it and learn from the experience of professionals.

Project estimate and planned income

Initial Investment

Regular expenses

Projected Revenues

Profit = Income - Cost of production (includes the cost of fry, wage costs, insurance premiums, cost of feed, utility costs, transportation and others)

Profitability is 40%.

Payback period of the project (Sum of initial costs / Profit) = 1,096,800 / 40,250 = 28 months.

Breeding fish at home (video)

A fish farming business is profitable if you have a plot of land with your own pond and the possibility of supplying communications. Then growing new populations becomes a pleasure that brings regular income. Solve the sales problem in advance - conclude the first contracts with customers, think over an advertising strategy. If you are ready to invest, in 2-2.5 years, under stable market conditions, you will receive profitable production and will be able to begin expanding the range of services.

Fish farming is a branch of agriculture within which several main tasks are performed: production of commercial fish, replenishment of the region's food supply, preservation of rare species of fish. As a rule, these problems are solved by large fish farms. However, today enterprising people have the opportunity to organize fish farming at home as a business - small but reliable. What is needed for this, and what kind of profit a fish farmer can expect, we will tell you in this review.

How to register a business

According to the laws of the Russian Federation, growing fish as a business is an entrepreneurial activity that is subject to registration with the Federal Tax Service. The purpose of such registration:

collection of taxes and other obligatory payments to the treasury;
supervision of production safety and product quality.

The absence of this administration on the part of the state prevents the entrepreneur from entering large markets. We recommend that you read about it and find out from the point of view of minimizing costs.

However, enterprising agricultural enthusiasts do not always master fish farming as a business in order to quickly enter the market with large quantities of finished products. Often a small home production is sufficient.

If a novice entrepreneur manages to establish a cycle for growing 1 to 2 tons of fish per year on his personal plot, then he does not have to register as an entrepreneur, but can sell the products as surplus from a personal subsidiary plot.

A home farm is a good start for those starting a fishing business from scratch. In the conditions of private household plots, a novice entrepreneur has the opportunity to:

accumulate start-up capital;
delve into all the intricacies of fish production;
gain experience in the regional market, as well as establish relationships with suppliers of consumables for growing fish.

This is the gold reserve that will allow the farmer in the near future to reach a new level of business such as breeding and selling fish.

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How to grow fish at home

There are several ways to raise fish at home:

in ponds;
in swimming pools.

There is also a method called cage breeding, but in order to organize it, you need to rent a pond. A reservoir can only be leased to an official business entity, so the development of cage fish farming will have to be postponed until registration as an entrepreneur.

Pond farming

To begin with, it should be noted that the pond for breeding fish must be quite voluminous: length from 8 to 10 m, width from 6 to 4 m, depth from 2 to 3 m.

The most unpretentious fish that can live in an artificial pond are carp and silver carp.

Most of these programs provide the following benefits for beginning farmers:

a significant reduction in interest rates on loans;
provision of government guarantees for loans;
payment for participation in exhibition events;
free training for farmers in the basics of entrepreneurship.

In order to become a participant in a municipal or federal program, a farmer must:

register as an entrepreneur;
have equity capital of about 30% of the required investments;
entrepreneurial venture;
have an impeccable credit history and be a law-abiding taxpayer.

A well-organized fishing business, according to reviews from entrepreneurs, gives its owner good income and allows it to become self-sufficient in a short time, so if you have entrepreneurial ideas and the strength to implement them, don’t stop, build a profitable enterprise.

By organizing fish breeding in a pond, pool or cage method, the owner can sell an environmentally friendly product to the market at a high cost, and the suitable climate of our country and the growing demand for carp and trout make this business profitable and very profitable in all regions.

The products of the world's oceans have been competing with livestock products for many millennia. Many treatises have been written about the benefits of these products. The World Health Organization recommends eating fish at least 2 times a day. The content of specific fatty acids (Omega-3) has a positive effect on the functioning of the brain and heart. The presence of vitamin D is essential for proper bone growth. The consumption of salmon, trout and mackerel is very important for the normal development of the fetus and is recommended for pregnant women and children. Fish farming in Russia is a fairly relevant business area and is constantly developing.

Methods of breeding fish in artificial conditions

Business should be fun. Fish farming is best associated with relaxation and can bring a lot of pleasant emotions. In addition, this is a fairly profitable and uncomplicated process. Setting up your own farm does not require large investments, and the economic effect is quite noticeable and with proper farming, you can receive regular profits and an environmentally friendly product for your table. The demand for typical river inhabitants, be it sturgeon or trout, is constantly growing in Russia. A huge number of ponds, lakes and reservoirs, as well as the climate in our country, make it possible to successfully engage in this type of activity in almost all regions. Artificial cultivation of fish was practiced in ancient times. Currently, this method has reached a high level of development and provides for implementation in the following conditions:

In a swimming pool.
In the pond.
Cage method.

A guarantee of success in this case will be the preparation of a detailed business plan, taking into account many risk factors.

Features of breeding in artificial pools

The advantageous quality of fish reproduction in artificial pools is that it can be located absolutely anywhere. This could be a garden or another part of a personal plot. Another positive point is the ability to choose the volume, material and shape of the tank. Such tanks are very durable, as they are made of fiberglass, metal or reinforced concrete construction. They require little maintenance and do not require very frequent cleaning. If desired, you can order pools of any shape, which will allow you to install it based on the availability of free space. As a rule, the walls of the tank, made of various types of plastic, have a smooth surface, which prevents significant contamination, reduces the cost of water treatment and the likelihood of a fish epidemic. The ability to artificially regulate temperature and hydrochemical conditions allows the use of reservoirs of this type all year round.

The installation of closed water exchange, as the most advanced method of cultivation in artificial conditions, allows for complete mechanization and automation of processes. To reproduce fry in this way, it is best to choose gourmet varieties (sturgeon or salmon), since installing expensive cleaning and water exchange equipment increases costs by about 1.5 times. The saturation of planting in such an environment is calculated based on the rate of water purification and its circulation. The fish productivity rate ranges from 20 to 100 kg per 1 m3. The method is simple, but there are typical errors when starting it.

Typical misconceptions of beginning fish farmers

Features of breeding in a pond

This option is the least risky and is suitable for beginners. A minimum financial threshold and the possibility of using natural reservoirs without additional expenses will allow you to obtain positive developments. In the territories of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, you can easily find a suitable pond or creek. There is an option to use your own artificial pond, which will force you to make additional investments in excavation work and has a certain risk associated with a lack of groundwater and critical shallowing of the pond. Also, to get good profitability, you need a pond with an area of at least 1 hectare.

Cage method

Involves a combined approach to reproduction. It has both positive. So are negative qualities. Natural water areas with certain instrumental support are used. To implement the method, you need to purchase or build a floating cage yourself and stock it with fry. Cage lines are installed in lakes, river creeks or reservoirs. The latter method, provided there is a heated environment, allows for population growth all year round. The main advantages of cage farming:

Small area. Allows better protection of cages and simplifies fishing.
Possibility of sale all year round. Most companies have a seasonal sales vector. This advantage will increase profits.
You can use all types of reservoirs, even complex ones.

What variety should I grow?

Before starting the project, you should ask yourself what type of fish you are ready to put on store shelves. The main varieties for sale are: carp and trout. Methods of breeding, feeding and care are somewhat different. Carp is a very unpretentious variety that can be placed in many types of reservoirs and use less specialized food. There is a lot of information about the features of technology on the Internet and specialized manuals. Raising trout fry is a somewhat more labor-intensive process. You need to have basic experience in fish farming and special education. This variety is extremely demanding in terms of location and conditions.

Carp breeding technology

This representative of marine fauna occupies a leading position in this segment of the freshwater aquaculture market. For the growth of fry of this species, you can use artificial reservoirs, ponds and the cage method. The following breeds are grown:

Scaly.
Mirror.
Linear.
Naked.
Ukrainian framed.

Carp can be cultivated in monoculture with various other species, including predatory species. There are three reproduction systems:

Extensive.
Semi-intensive.
Intense.

An extensive environment involves feeding carp with natural derivatives of bottom fauna and zooplankton. The method is characterized by a small increase per unit area (from 200 to 650 kg). The advantage is low feed costs and costs.

The semi-intensive method consists of formulating the diet in such a way that it contains more artificial feed, which is produced in significant quantities by the agro-industrial complex. The lack of caloric intake in the diet is leveled out with the help of carbohydrate-type food additives (various types of cereals). With the correct selection of diet, productivity reaches a level of 650 to 1400 kg per hectare. A clear advantage of this system is the ability to correct the lack of energy value of food with the help of supplements.

The intensive system involves transferring the entire generation to a complex feed that contains protein in high concentrations (up to 40%). The high value of nutrition leads to a large planting of the growth area, which requires additional aeration, if the norms are not observed, there is a risk of death of the offspring. The efficiency of this system makes it possible to obtain from 5 to 20 tons per hectare of water area. A positive feature is the maximum use of water areas. However, there is also a significant risk of infection and epidemics.

Trout breeding technology

There are more than a dozen species of trout in the world's oceans. Two main ones are most suitable for industrial reproduction:

Brook trout.
Rainbow trout.

The first species grows in the waters of the Azov, Black, White and Caspian seas. It has good taste and is one of the most valuable varieties of fish. It lives exclusively in cold conditions and requires fairly high aeration. The Rainbow Trout's native habitat is North America. It can live not only in cold streams, but also in warm rivers. Has excellent growth abilities.

The cage method and the method of growing in ponds are suitable for reproduction. However, trout do not reproduce in ponds and artificial insemination must be used. You should adhere to a temperature range from 4 to 18°C. It takes about 2 years to raise an adult fish ready for sale.

How much can you earn?

The expenditure and revenue portion of the project will vary depending on the scale of production. The cost of carp fry varies from 60 to 120 rubles per kilogram. The minimum price of feed for it is 7-8 rubles. An adult is sold for 100-130 rubles per 1 kg. For example, you can take the average values of the main points when growing carp. With the most conservative calculations and minimal volumes of the final product, the cost part looks something like this:

Malek – 5200 rub.
Staff – 15,150 rub.
Feed – 3350 rub.
Other – 9350 rub.

The regressive part of accounting will be 30,050 rubles.

With a total profitability of 50,000 rubles, the net profit will be 19,950 rubles. A multiple increase in parameters will lead to lower costs and increased profits. Profitability with proper organization of the process can reach 40%.

Examples of successful "fish" business

Successful cultivation of fish on an industrial scale in Russia is carried out by large holdings with a wide network of export connections. However, medium and small fish farms that are successfully increasing production in Russia (Arsky Fish Farm LLC, Vyvenskoye LLC, Nazarovskoe Fish Farm LLC) deserve a lot of attention. Such companies are an excellent example of a proven technological and financial basis for growing fish.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

4,000,000 ₽

Minimum starting capital

From 4 years

Payback

25%

Profitability

The fishing industry is of great interest to entrepreneurs. This direction is in demand and promising, although it requires considerable investment and is associated with certain risks. Both natural and artificial (pond) reservoirs are suitable for fish farming. Domesticated fish and their hybrids are grown in them.

Pond fish farming, which is discussed in this article, is the cultivation of fish using intensive technologies and is characterized by a high degree of use of all components of the food supply of reservoirs plus additional feed. The main goals of pond fish farming are natural and artificial fish breeding, selection and breeding work and acclimatization of new fish species.

Artificial reservoir for breeding and keeping fish

Reservoirs used for water supply to livestock farms, irrigation of plots, watering livestock, etc. are suitable for fish breeding. In addition, separate reservoirs - fish ponds - can be built for these purposes. The first option is in most cases suitable as an additional source of income and increasing the profitability of livestock farming. The second option can become an independent type of profitable business. The main feature of a fish pond, which distinguishes it from natural reservoirs, is the ability to control all biological processes occurring in it - from growing fish to breeding food supplies.

You need to start this difficult business by finding a place for a pond in which fish will be kept and bred, or a place for it. It doesn't matter whether you are planning to build a new pond or restore a damaged pond, a pond used for fish farming purposes must meet several basic requirements.

These requirements apply to both its location and the characteristics of the reservoir itself. In the first case, pay attention to the presence of developed infrastructure near your future fish farm. It is necessary to have access roads and settlements nearby. As mentioned above, the minimum area of your pond should be at least one hectare. However, one should not go to the other extreme: a large pond is much more difficult to maintain, expensive to maintain, and its fish productivity is noticeably lower than small ponds.

Artificial reservoirs are constructed in two main ways: using dams or by excavation. The choice of one method or another depends on the terrain, soil characteristics, source of water supply and other factors. Experts consider the most suitable body of water formed using an artificial dam on a flowing source (spring or stream). In this case, it will be easier to organize water exchange. Another quite profitable option is to construct a dam for spring and rainwater. With intense movement of such waters, it will be possible to simply install a dam in the right place.

But digging a reservoir “from scratch” is the most expensive option. If you prefer it, then carefully select the site for its construction, taking into account the structure of the soil and the composition of the water. Sandy and swampy soils will not be suitable in this case, or you will have to make an artificial bed for the reservoir from monolithic or precast reinforced concrete. The first option is more expensive, and the second requires additional sealing of the seams.

However, regardless of the type of reservoir, its bottom should be as smooth as possible. If there are holes and low places at the bottom of the pond, the soil becomes swamped, which can be fatal for fish. A fish pit should be provided in the center of the reservoir near the drainage, which will allow you to quickly catch the inhabitants of the pond and drain the reservoir for the winter. Please note: overwintering of fish is only possible in ponds with running water. It is most advantageous to supply water to the pond by gravity through pipes or channels. Using a pump significantly increases the cost of the entire project.

It is best to make the pond drainage. If you can drain and refill the pond, this will allow you to fish and regularly clear the bottom of the pond of silt. Drainage ponds are more convenient, produce more fish and are less prone to waterlogging. When choosing or arranging a reservoir, pay attention to the area adjacent to it.

Shrubs, trees, stumps, snags growing near the shore of the pond must be uprooted, otherwise in the future they may contribute to its siltation and overgrowth. It is advisable that springs, groundwater outlets or springs are located nearby. If such sources exist, it is recommended to clear them, thus ensuring a natural flow of water into your pond.

Types of ponds suitable for fish farming

There are several main types of ponds, which vary in location. The most common are the so-called stagnant or low-flow gully ponds, which are located on gentle ravines or dry hollows. Such household ponds are small in area (from 0.5 hectares with a depth of up to 1.5 meters) and are used for water supply, bathing, irrigation, etc. Due to their shallow depth, the water in such ponds quickly warms up in the sun.

They are suitable for breeding carp, tench, pike perch, crucian carp and other types of fish. If you have chosen just such a pond for your fish farm, then its preliminary preparation for the release of fish will consist of cleaning the bottom of the reservoir from silt, installing a bottom drainage and catching weed fish.

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Forest and park ponds are less commonly used for fish farming, as they require a lot of preparatory work before releasing the fish. First, they need to be drained (for at least one to two years), cleared of silt, snags and stumps, and a bottom drain installed.

Reservoir ponds, as a rule, have a vast water area - from several tens to hundreds of hectares, and are used for irrigating fields. If such a pond is planned to be used for fish breeding, then experts advise paying special attention to cleaning and leveling the bottom. In such areas you can breed carp, carp, pike perch, bream, trout, sterlet, whitefish, etc.

Peat quarry ponds are formed after peat has been extracted. Their area is several hundred thousand hectares. However, due to the large number of snags, stumps, earthen embankments, holes, etc., fishing in such ponds is very difficult. On the other hand, if there are sufficient funds for preparing and filling a quarry pond with water, the “productivity” of such a fish farm, even with extensive cultivation, can amount to a couple of centners of fish per 1 hectare of water area per year.

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So, no matter where your pond is located, it may require a whole range of expensive preparatory work: drainage (to drain a non-draining pond, water is pumped out), clearing the bottom, removing stumps and branches, leveling the bottom and slopes, installing supply and drainage channels water, filling the pond with water.

Basic water requirements

The quality of the water in your pond is key. Of course, there are some species of fish that survive in polluted and oxygen-poor water, but it is better to spend time and money on creating a suitable environment so that the fish not only survive, but grow well, quickly gain weight and reproduce.

The quality of water in a reservoir is determined, first of all, by the oxygen it contains, which is consumed by fish during respiration. Lack of oxygen negatively affects all life processes of fish and can lead to its death. In natural reservoirs, water is saturated with oxygen from the air under the influence of wind and temperature changes. A large amount of oxygen is also released by aquatic plants. The recommended oxygen content in a pond is 5-7 mg per liter of water.

When the oxygen content in water drops to 0.3-0.5 mg per liter, the fish die. In winter, due to the formation of ice on the water and the cessation of oxygen release by plants in stagnant reservoirs, the oxygen content drops sharply, so in the cold season it is necessary to carry out additional aeration of the water.

In addition to oxygen, other gases also dissolve in water, including methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. Free carbon dioxide levels of more than 10-20 mg per liter can also have a detrimental effect on fish. In order to avoid the formation of harmful gases in the water, it is necessary to regularly clean the pond from excess silt and aquatic vegetation. For the same purposes, the soil is drained and mineralized, peat areas are poured with lime and excess vegetation is burned.

In addition to the oxygen content of water, its reaction is also of great importance, which can be acidic (pH less than 7), alkaline (pH above 7) and neutral (pH = 7). To reduce the acidity of water, lime is added to it or lime filters are installed at sources. For the full development of any organisms in water, various minerals are needed - potassium, calcium and other salts, phosphorus and nitrogen compounds.

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In the natural environment, salts come from the soil, dissolving in water. In addition, the enrichment of water with minerals occurs during the decomposition and mineralization of silt deposits into two reservoirs. In artificially created reservoirs one cannot do without organic and mineral fertilizers, which enrich the water with all the necessary minerals.

Iron in fresh water is usually found in the form of oxide salts. If the reservoir is supplied with water from a spring, then it may contain salts of ferrous iron, which, when converted to oxide, absorbs a large amount of oxygen, forming iron oxide hydrate. The latter can accumulate on the gills of fish in the form of a brown coating, making breathing difficult. This is especially harmful when the water is highly acidic. On the other hand, plant and animal organisms cannot do without iron. To reduce the iron content in water, the water is additionally aerated, since oxygen leads to the oxidation of iron and its precipitation.

In fish farms, it is extremely important to regularly analyze the water in the reservoir, paying attention to the following parameters: temperature, acidity, oxygen content, hydrogen sulfide and minerals. In some cases (primarily in winter), such measurements need to be carried out daily. Before stocking a reservoir with fish, experts advise having the water analyzed in a hydrochemical laboratory. Such laboratories are located at SES and Vodokanal. There are also independent laboratories that perform more advanced analysis, which is preferable.

Features of fish breeding

The choice of certain groups of fish depends, first of all, on the condition of the reservoir. According to their keeping conditions, all types of fish that are suitable for pond farming can be divided into heat-loving and cold-loving. Heat-loving fish thrive in well-warmed, standing water. They are not so demanding on oxygen content. This group of fish includes representatives of the carp family. Cold-loving species, on the contrary, need clean, cool water with a high oxygen content. These fish are suitable for breeding in reservoirs that are fed by springs or underground sources.

Carp, carp, crucian carp, tench, pike, pike perch, grass carp, and silver carp are most suitable for pond fish farming. In the northern regions, trout, whitefish, and peled can also be grown in artificial reservoirs. To maintain the microclimate of the reservoir, it is recommended to keep several species in one reservoir. If you do not have experience in the field of fish farming, be sure to consult with specialists about the composition of the fish being released at the planning stage.

Beginners often make the mistake of introducing certain species into the pond that can harm other fish (for example, dwarf catfish, Amur chebak, etc.). If fish farming is only an additional source of your income, then you can also keep low-value fish species in the reservoir - both small ones (minnow, galyan, verkhovka) and weed fish species (roach, ruffe, perch). However, if the former do not interfere with the breeding of commercial species (unless they take up free space), and even serve as additional food for predatory fish, then weed species simply take food away from valuable fish species.

Most fish farm owners prefer carp and trout. Carp are unpretentious and survive well in most bodies of water. Trout is more demanding on conditions and water quality, however, with slightly higher maintenance costs, the retail price of this fish turns out to be 3-3.5 times higher! On the other hand, carp breeding does not require much experience. If you decide to fish for trout, you will have to seek help from a qualified specialist. A one-year-old fry (in the case of carp) or a two-year-old fry (trout and some other species) are suitable for populating a pond, as they take root well and are large enough not to be eaten by predatory fish.

Rules for feeding fish during artificial breeding

When kept naturally in a pond, unpretentious fish species have enough natural food, which includes insects, aquatic vegetation, bloodworms (mosquito larvae) and small crustaceans (cyclops, daphnia), but you should not count on high productivity with such maintenance. In the case of artificial breeding in a “densely populated” pond, the fish are fed with meal, cake, bran, feed for birds or pigs, which is mixed with water until the consistency of dough. Properly selected food can increase the natural weight gain of fish up to five times. True, in this case they become the main expense item for fisheries. They account for up to 60% of all costs.

Feeding begins in May, when the water temperature reaches 12-15°C, and this temperature will last for at least half a day. During this period, no more than 7% of the total volume of feed calculated for the growing season is given. It is recommended to feed the fish twice a day (the most favorable times are 12-13 and 18 hours). It is best to determine in advance the location of the so-called “feed tables”.

The latter are square trays made of heavy wood or stainless metal measuring 50 by 50 cm and a side height of 4-5 cm. A hole is made in the center of the feeder for a pole. The tables are lifted to the surface using a fishing line. A one-hectare pond will require a minimum of four feeding tables. These devices help reduce the consumption of granulated feed. At first, food is given in small portions so that the fish gets used to the feeders, and according to a certain signal (ringing a bell or clapping a hand on the water).

Regularly monitor how your fish eat their food. You can estimate the volume of food eaten 40-60 minutes after feeding. Do not feed a large amount of food at once. On average, the daily food intake for carp is 1.5-3% of the estimated weight of all fish in the reservoir, depending on the water temperature (the lower it is, the less food).

A new portion can be added only after the fish have eaten the previous one. Remains of food that the fish have not eaten must be removed from the feeders every 2-3 days to avoid contamination of the reservoir. When the oxygen content in water drops to 2 mg per liter, you need to reduce the usual portion of food by half. It is also necessary to reduce the amount of feed during preventive treatment of the reservoir, transplanting and transporting fish: under stress, their food reaction is inhibited.

Do not skimp on food: it must always be fresh (the shelf life of any food does not exceed six months from the date of manufacture), and stored correctly (in a dark, dry and well-ventilated area). Following these simple rules will allow you to avoid many problems associated with pool pollution, which entails the emergence of various fish diseases.

Features of fish farming business

If you are not specialists in the field of fish farming, then it is best to start such a business with a small pond with carp. The optimal water temperature for carp is 20-27°C with an oxygen content of 5-7 mg/l. If the temperature drops to 14°C or lower, the fish eats less and does not gain weight. At a water temperature of 7°C, carp stop feeding and lose activity. Under favorable conditions, carp weight gain can reach 7-8 grams per day. Sexual maturity occurs at 3-5 years. Carp spawn in the spring, laying eggs on vegetation in shallow areas of the reservoir. The fry appear on average after five days.

The production cycle of fish farming lasts two years. By this age, the weight of one carp is 300-800 grams. And by the age of three, the weight of a male can reach 1-2 kg. The weight gain of carp is greatly influenced by the quality of water, feed, living conditions, and climate. It is most profitable to breed carp and other types of fish in the southern regions of our country.

Fish farming is a profitable business, with an average profitability of 15%. However, it requires considerable investment. Most of the funds will be used to equip the reservoir (from 3 million rubles in the best case), purchase food (4 kg of food is required to obtain a carp weight gain of 1 kg) and fry.

Of course, you can also raise fish on natural food - the so-called extensive method. But in this case, no more than 0.3-0.4 tons of fish can be obtained from 1 hectare, while with additional feeding the productivity can be up to 1.2 tons per 1 hectare per year. When using a high level of intensive cultivation in cages, which involves frequent feeding of fish, high stocking density and the creation of additional conditions in reservoirs for productive breeding (constant aeration and liming of the reservoir), it is possible to obtain up to 5-6 tons of fish products per hectare.

However, in this case, feed costs will increase even more. With a high-intensity growing method, high-protein nutritious feed is used with a protein content of at least 26-28% and fat - 6-7%. The average price of carp food is 8-9 rubles per kilogram. High-protein nutritious food will cost twenty percent more.

To grow trout, experts advise using European-made feed at a price of about 0.9-1 euro per kilogram. Although such food is also produced in our country, so far only by a couple of enterprises. However, cheap feed has virtually no effect on the taste of trout meat, but with such nutrition it has a light color. Domestic consumers are accustomed to the fact that trout meat is red, and special feed additives obtained from krill give it such a bright shade.

It would seem that the high cost of trout food makes its breeding economically unprofitable. However, the high cost of feed is compensated by its lower consumption and the high cost of meat. If for 1 kg of weight gain in carp you need to spend about 4 kg of feed, then in the case of trout the consumption will be only 1 kg per 1 kg of weight gain. Ultimately, the costs of growing one kilogram of carp and trout are approximately equal - about 35-38 and 40-45 rubles per kilogram in the first and second cases, respectively.

Income and expenses of pond fish farming

When calculating costs, also take into account the costs of processing all necessary documents. Before constructing a reservoir, you will need to order its design from a design organization that has a license to carry out such activities, and go through all approvals, as when constructing a real estate property, obtain permits from environmental organizations, etc.

The productivity of large fish farms is up to 1000 tons of live fish per year. They make a profit from selling fry to small fish farms, organizing paid fishing and fish processing (canning, smoking, etc.). Small fish farms choose 1-2 main directions. Moreover, one of the leading ones is often the organization of fishing

You can’t count on a quick payback in this business. Large fish are in greatest demand on the market. For carp, the optimal weight is 1.2-1.5 kg, and for trout – about 1 kg. The growing cycle for carp is three years, for trout – six months less. According to experts, the payback period for a small farm is four years.

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