How to grow catfish fish at home?

What are the physiological and lifestyle features of catfish?

First of all, it should be decided that by the name "catfish" we mean the species Ordinary catfish (aka European). In addition to it, there is also the American channel catfish, African clary catfish and others (in total there are about 100 species of the Catfish family).

European catfish - a large predatory fish, quite widespread. Has no scales. Loves warm fresh water. An adult catfish can feed on fish, frogs, rodents and even a bird, and in the absence of live prey, it eats carrion.

The average life span of a catfish is about 50 years, while its size can reach five meters, and its weight is 300-400 kg. Catfish reaches sexual maturity by 4-5 years. Catfish meat is white, has a delicious rich taste.
The benefits of the catfish lifestyle include that it does not require large bodies of water. This saves space for commercial catfish farming. For the winter, the catfish hibernates and does not hunt, this allows it to be sent to wintering ponds together with other types of fish.

How is catfish breeding and growing?

There are several ways to grow catfish:

1) Cage method.

The fish are kept in cages, while the juveniles and the feeding freight train are kept separately.

2) Pond method.

Natural method of keeping. Juveniles are hatched under hatchery conditions or in special spawning nursery zones.

3) Basin method.

Allows you to grow catfish at home. The size and type of pools may vary.

4) Feeding method.

With this type of keeping, it is possible to breed catfish both in monoculture and in combination with other fish species. You can use the catfish as a natural “orderly” to prevent the unnecessary increase in the population of other fish. If this is not required, the size of other fish should be comparable to the size of the catfish so that it cannot attack them.

How to feed catfish?

Catfish feeding depends on the age of the fish and the physiological state. When growing catfish in ponds, underyearlings are fed with all kinds of aquatic invertebrates. To improve the nutritional base in ponds, there should be underwater areas abundantly overgrown with soft plant mass - it is necessary for the development of herbivorous chironomids, which constitute the main diet of catfish fry.

When kept in an artificial reservoir at different stages of catfish rearing, feed can be very different.
1) Larvae several days old feed on various large zooplankton, by two weeks they need to feed small chironomids (mosquito larvae). Well suited for feeding the larvae of brine shrimp nauplii (small crustaceans), as well as starting compound feed in the form of a paste. The larvae should receive food 10-12 times per day.

2) When the larvae gain about 100 mg in weight, the amount of live zooplankton in the diet can be reduced by up to 20-25%. Starting from this moment and in the next 40-50 days, the main feed becomes a starter feed with the addition of a grated spleen.

3) The next stage begins from the moment the larvae reach a mass of 1 gram, and until the weight increases to 5 grams. For these purposes, a compound feed intended for trout fingerlings is suitable, with the addition of grated spleen, premixes (the ratio of dry and pasty feed should be 1 to 1). The number of feedings per day is 6-10 times, the dosage of feed is 10% of the live weight of the fish (per day).

4) The next stage starts with the larva gaining a weight of 5 grams, and ends when it reaches 15-20 grams (usually it takes from one to one and a half months). The ration is used the same as for feeding the fish in the previous stage, but the frequency of feeding is reduced to 3-4 times a day, and the amount of feed is reduced to 6% of the live weight of the fish per day.

5) In winter, an adult fish (hibernating) does not need food, but the young of the year must be fed. The amount of food depends on the temperature of the water - the higher it is, the more food is required:

• + 7-8 ° С - 0.5-1% of live weight.
• + 9-11 ° C - 1-2% of live weight.
• + 12-13 ° C - 3% of live weight.

The composition of the feed can be taken the same that was used in the summer. Alternatively, it is allowed to use frozen and fresh fish twisted into minced meat with the addition of 1% trout premix.

With the autumn-winter cage content, the weight of underyearlings increases by an average of 15-20%.

6) Adult catfish, starting from two years old, are fed 2 times a day. The standard diet is mixed feed for trout and pasty admixtures. The daily dose should not be less than 4-5% of the live weight of the fish.

7) Before spawning, sexually mature females are recommended to be fed with the following composition: mixed feed for trout (in granules), minced fish or a mixture of minced meat with spleen (1 to 4) 40-50% plus trout premix - 1%. When kept in a pond, you can feed producers with live fish (about 30% of the diet).
It is supposed to feed twice a day - in the morning and throughout the day.

How is catfish spawning and growing?

In the conditions of a fish pond, spawning begins no earlier than the water temperature reaches + 18-20 ° C. The spawning area should be overgrown with grass, water should preferably be stagnant or slightly flowing. Before spawning, in advance, females and males should be separated, otherwise they can injure each other.

The female catfish arranges for herself a kind of "nest" - crumples the grass. The eggs are laid in several passes, rather densely (for 1 kg of live weight, the female gives out about 10-20 thousand eggs, depending on age), after which the male and the female are on duty nearby for a day, protecting the eggs from possible enemies. After that, the female swims away, and the male catfish watches the eggs until the larvae hatch.
For spawning, you can use artificial nests, which are located near the shores of the reservoir.

How are catfish farms arranged?

Commercial catfish farms start with capacities of 50 tons of fish per year. Interestingly, one person is enough to maintain such a farm with a workload of about 25 hours per working week. Mostly African catfish are bred on such farms. There are both smaller farms (from 20 tons per year) and very large ones - from 100 tons per year and more.

The production cycle begins with the placement of fry weighing from 0.1 to 5 grams. Catfish farm technology allows you to increase the weight of catfish from 1 gram to 1 kilogram in just 6 months of keeping. Since the entire population of fish grows unevenly, the “harvest” is taken every week, with a total weight of about a ton. To do this, fish are sorted into four different groups, by weight, first of all, catching the largest.

Consumption of compound feed when growing catfish on a farm is less than 1 kg per kilogram of live weight of fish.
The catfish farm is being created on the basis of a recirculating water system - a closed water supply installation. Raising catfish in RAS does not differ much from raising other fish species.

The system is ground-based, the used water circulates through filters, is purified (not only mechanically, but also biologically) and again enters the pools. The advantages of such a system are in saving water resources, in the absence of environmental pollution, in automatic strict control of the safety of the chemical, biological and physical properties of the water used, but it is more financially costly than keeping catfish in fish ponds.

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You can also watch an interesting video about catfish breeding

• History of the African catfish
• About business
• How much money is needed to open a farm for growing African catfish
• Technology for growing catfish in a reservoir
• A step-by-step plan to discover where to start
• How much can you earn
• What OKVED to indicate when registering a business
• What documents are needed to open
• What taxation system to choose for business registration
• Do I need permission to open
• Growing technology

Recently, the cultivation of African catfish has attracted more and more interest from Russian farmers. There are reasons for this. Firstly, African catfish easily adapt to the conditions of basin cultivation, which is very important for the climate of Russia. Secondly, catfish are very easy to breed, disease resistant and reared at high stocking densities. Third, there are simple and beneficial feeding programs for African catfish. These facts make the catfish growing business quite profitable and profitable.

History of the African catfish

African catfish is tasty, unpretentious fish and grows fast enough. The biology of catfish is such that they can live without water for two days, breathing ordinary air. The point is that they have both gills and lungs. This is a very strong and intelligent fish. In their homeland, in Africa, catfish can walk up to 1 km "on foot" - when the water leaves the flooded rivers. From pits with water, where they fall, catfish can jump up to 2 meters in height and crawl to look for water.

Catfish can cope with water temperatures ranging from 8 to 35 degrees Celsius. But for reproduction, a temperature of more than 18 degrees is needed, and for feeding, more than 20 degrees.

The first catfish farms appeared in Holland in 1980. Since 1985 until 1986 over 60 farms appeared in Holland, which produced about 300 tons of fish. In 1992, the production of African catfish already totaled over 1235 tons, moreover, 71.3% of this number, i.e. 880 tons, produced in Holland on 8 large farms. In Russia, one of the currently known catfish farms is LLC "Aquatoria", located in the city of Orel (up to 100 tons of marketable fish). There are also a number of other small farms that grow mainly small volumes of marketable catfish (no more than 50 tons per year).

About business

For growing catfish, any heated room with an area of ​​50m2 or more is suitable.For example, German farmer Peter Waller (a farm in the Leningrad region) grows African catfish in a former vegetable store. The fish is raised in special pools - closed water supply installations (see also - “sturgeon rearing in RAS“).

How much money is needed to open a farm for growing African catfish

Investments for opening a catfish farm with a volume of 10 tons of marketable fish per year can range from 2 to 5 million rubles. The main costs are the creation of conditions for fish farming: the acquisition of swimming pools, the creation of a closed water supply system, a water filtration system, and engineering communications. And this is provided that the premises for the farm are rented, and not built from scratch. Otherwise, the costs may amount to more than 10 million rubles.

Equipment for a farm that produces 10 tons of African catfish per year may include:

• eight pools of 1.5 m3 each;
• two sedimentation tanks 1.2 m3 each;
• well reservoir with a volume of 2 m3;
• biofilter and 12 m3 of filter bags;
• a stove that dissolves water;
• 1 kW pump;
• pipes, fittings;
• 55 W UV lamp;
• feed dispenser type "Reflex" - 8 pieces.

Characteristics of the recirculation system for the production of 10 tons of African catfish per year:

• minimum building area - 60 m2;
• pool area - 10 m2;
• pool volume - 10 m3;
• water volume in the system - 15 m3;
• change of water in pools with fish - 1 time per hour;
• process water consumption - up to 300 m3 per day;
• permanent removal of impurities - sedimentation;
• biological filtration, biological filter volume - 11 m3;
• biological filter area - 150 m2 / m3;
• installed capacity - 1 kW;
• adding clean water (feeding) per day - 100 l / 1 kg of feed.

Technology for growing catfish in a reservoir

African catfish fry can be purchased at a price of 1100 to 1500 rubles for 5000 pieces. But bringing juveniles to maturity is not an easy task. According to Peter Waller, the most difficult period for fry, which weigh no more than 10 grams, the mortality at this weight is the highest. After 10 grams, a very small percentage of fish die. Malek, in fact, is the main problem of the economy.

Catfish grow quickly. The growth period of the larva to marketable fish is only 6 months. Catfish are omnivores and are eaten by almost everyone. In their homeland, in Africa, catfish eat both fruit and antelope meat, which remains after the "crocodile supper". In Russia, they are fed with compound feed, but you can also give wheat, corn, bran.

“When a fish eats actively, it means that it is healthy and in a good mood,” laughs Rimma Nikolaevna, Peter Waller's business partner. And the mood of African fish changes from magnetic storms, and from the wind outside, and from the state of the water. By the way, the task of water purification is one of the main conditions for the success of the economy. And the recirculating water system - the installation of a closed water supply - copes with this task best of all. Each aquarium with fish alternates with containers with bacteria that are not visible, for that benefit - as from an expensive purification system. Microorganisms clean the pools of food residues, fish waste products, and therefore the water remains perfectly clean.

According to businessmen, expensive feed and water heating costs account for almost 30% of the cost of fish. These are the only downsides to raising African catfish.

The average wholesale price for African catfish is 150 rubles per kilogram. At first, problems may arise with the sale of fish. To begin with, you can conclude contracts with small wholesale resellers, deliver fish to markets, restaurants, cafes and retail stores. The ideal client is retail chains, which are not so easy to get into.

In Germany, Holland and France, the consumption of equatorial fish is actively promoted by the state, because catfish is a natural source of fatty amino acids, and for farmers it is a quickly payback business.

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A step-by-step plan to discover where to start

The stages of organizing a business for the cultivation and breeding of African catfish are highly dependent on material capabilities. Beginning entrepreneurs should use the extensive or semi-intensive cultivation method, and businessmen with more significant start-up capital should use the intensive one. A business plan for organizing a business is based on the following stages:

• Calculation of estimated costs and annual profit.
• Construction of a small reservoir along with the provision of the required ecosystem.
• Installation of auxiliary equipment: filters, lighting systems, etc.
• Obtaining the required permissions.
• Purchase of feed and fry of African catfish.
• Setting up work with the supplier.

Don't forget about advertising. A good advertising campaign is extremely important for promoting a business, first of all, you can use the Internet and social media.

How much can you earn

Before assessing the real profit from the African catfish breeding business, the main expenditure items should be calculated: building a pond 50-100 thousand rubles, purchasing fry 150 rubles / kg and feed up to 25 thousand per month. It will be necessary to install heating, filtration, lighting and ventilation systems, in the amount of about 300 thousand rubles. For effective work, overalls and fishing equipment will be required - up to 60 thousand. In total, the costs can be up to half a million rubles or more. By selling fish at a wholesale price of up to 100 rubles / kg, as well as receiving additional income from eggs of broodstock, the payback of the project can be 1 year or more.

What OKVED to indicate when registering a business

When registering, you must specify OKVED 2.03. Fishing and fish farming.

What documents are needed to open

To register a business, it is necessary to create an individual entrepreneur or LLC. In this case, a standard set of documents will be required: a passport, forIa statement of state registration, a receipt for payment of the state duty, as well as a copy of the TIN certificate.

What taxation system to choose for business registration

It is recommended to choose a single imputed tax on business income.

Do I need permission to open

To open a business, permits from local governments and the State Committee for Water Resources will be required. It is also recommended to carry out an environmental impact assessment and obtain permission from the employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station.

Growing technology

The technology of growing African catfish depends on the chosen method. Extensive requires a small start-up investment for the construction and improvement of the site. The fish in this case feeds on natural food, various types of plankton. The intensive method requires pools with a recirculated water supply. At the same time, favorable conditions are created for the fish: temperature, diet, cleaning of containers, etc. Catfish can be raised with other fish species to act as an orderly, but it should also be remembered that he is a predator. The optimal conditions for catfish are the same as for carp: the presence of 10 ml / g of oxygen and 10-30 mg / l of carbon dioxide.

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The cost of catfish on the market is slightly lower than that of other types of fish, so they are often used to make canned fish. And since there is demand, it means that breeding catfish at home can be an excellent and profitable business.

There are several technologies for breeding and growing fish, and it depends only on you and your initial capital which one to choose.

Which breeding method should you choose?

The extensive method is the minimum investment in the construction and arrangement of the pond. The fish will eat naturally occurring foods found in the water. The cage method is the cultivation of fish in special suburbs, which are installed in a natural reservoir. The entrepreneur will need to spend money on the purchase of feed and these structures.

Experts assure that the intensive method is most suitable for raising catfish, when the fish needs to create the most favorable conditions for growing. In the reservoir, the optimal temperature for gaining mass with catfish is set, the process of feeding food is automated, and so on.

The businessman can use the catfish as a kind of orderly for the reservoir when it is raised along with other types of fish. But it should be remembered that catfish is a predatory fish, therefore, when selecting fish for combined breeding, you need to carefully select the size of carp or trout. Then the catfish will not be able to eat them, because it easily eats smaller fish.

Catfish keeping conditions

Breeding catfish in a pond on a personal plot is a profitable business if you choose the right type of catfish. Clarium (marble) catfish is best suited for this. For it, it will be necessary to create favorable conditions: a sufficient oxygen content in the water, salt level and pH. This fish is very fond of twilight, so it is advisable to place the pond in a shaded place.

At home, you need to keep catfish in a pond only in the warm season. The fry are released into the reservoir when the water temperature reaches 15C, 25C is considered the most optimal temperature for fish growth. For a reservoir capacity of about 2000 liters, about 60 fry will be needed.

African catfish should be fed at least 3 times a day with ready-made feed and compound feed. In addition, the clary catfish feeds on plant foods, so chicken giblets, earthworms and various insects can act as top dressing. In general, the amount of feed required is calculated based on the age and weight of the fish.

The female and male at the age of 2 years are considered sexually mature and can be used for breeding. Breeding catfish as a business will be profitable only if you provide the fish with an indoor reservoir for wintering. Otherwise, the growth of the catfish slows down, and the young may die altogether, thereby bringing continuous losses.

Keeping catfish in a closed installation also has a number of nuances, so you will definitely need to purchase additional equipment: a pump for air supply and a device for maintaining a stable temperature in the pond.

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Equipment for breeding and keeping Clarius catfish

A pond, indoor facility, aquariums or barrels are suitable for starting a fish farming business. The main thing is the temperature regime and dim light in the room. Each of the chosen method of growing catfish will require certain investments. It will definitely be boring to buy such equipment:

1. A couple of sedimentation tanks of about 1.5 square meters.
2. Biofilters.
3. Pumps with a minimum power of 1 kW.
4. Fittings and pipes for water.
5. Feeders.

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Economic aspect and potential profit

As for the possible costs of creating a pond and raising fish, everything here will depend on the chosen farming technology. It is necessary to approach its selection wisely and, among other things, take into account the size of the initial capital that can be spent on the arrangement of reservoirs.

All costs can be conditionally divided into several large groups:

• Regarding the heating of water in swimming pools. There can be several heating methods: using equipment in the pool itself or with warm air inside the building.
• The costs of operating the farm, cleaning and cleaning up reservoirs.
• Spending on the purchase of feed and planting material.

It is possible to produce about 2,000 kilograms of products if you spend 300 thousand rubles (the amount does not include the arrangement of pools, since you can use different reservoirs and different equipment for this purpose). The price of a kilogram of catfish on the market today is such that the business will begin to pay off already in the second year of fish farming.

For a year, fish can be grown to a weight of 2 kilograms with the right three meals a day. As a result, about 400 kilograms of fish are obtained per cube of water. Depending on the chosen method of growing fry, the result may also be different.

In any case, a novice businessman can choose an extensive method for himself, when the catfish will eat only natural food and the costs / investments will be minimal.

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Basic costs

It is imperative to draw up such a business plan in advance, which will help to soberly assess the risks and your capital. It includes the following items:

1. The purchase of fry is about 10 thousand rubles.
2. The salary of workers is 30 thousand (at the initial stage, you can do it on your own).
3. Other expenses - another 30 thousand.
4. Fish food - 10 thousand.

As a result, at least 80 thousand rubles will be needed to maintain a small pond without additional equipment. With such a business, the gross profit can reach 100 thousand rubles, which is very good considering the investments.

The grown fish in the reservoir must be sorted regularly. Individuals that have the best rates of weight gain can be left for further reproduction. Send the rest of the fish for sale, and then prepare a pool or pond for new generations.

In general, there should be no difficulties with breeding Clarius catfish. But since catfish is very demanding on the average water temperature, if you want to gradually expand your business, you will need to purchase equipment for heating water. Otherwise, the rate of its growth decreases, as does the entrepreneur's profit.

Som African Clarium (Sharmut) is distinguished by simply enormous growth vigor and resistance to adverse environmental factors. In our country, this fish is grown mainly in the Kursk and Moscow regions, as well as in the Krasnodar Territory. Recently, the African catfish has begun to gain popularity among farmers and other regions of the Russian Federation.

Habitat in nature

The fish is a thermophilic African catfish. Therefore, it is supposed to contain it at an ambient temperature of at least +18 ° C. Sharmut is relatively unpretentious to the composition of the water. In the wild, such catfish are found mainly in Africa. On this continent, they can be found in almost all bodies of water. Also, the habitat of African catfish is the Jordan River, lakes and ponds of South and Southeast Asia.

general description

Outwardly, the charmut is very similar to an ordinary catfish living in the rivers of Russia. The body of this fish is elongated, slightly compressed from the sides. The unpretentiousness of the charmut in relation to the conditions of detention is explained, among other things, by the fact that he is able, if necessary, to breathe atmospheric air. Along with the gills, this fish has a special organ densely penetrated with blood vessels. Due to the presence of such a primitive "lung", the African catfish is able to live on land for up to 14-47 hours.

Researchers have found that when the oxygen content in the water is less than 4.3 mg / l, the charmouth can get out of the pond and go to look for another, more comfortable "place of residence."

Like the European catfish, the African catfish has a mustache and teeth. There are no scales on his body. The color of the charmut can vary quite widely and depends on the color of the water.

Productivity indicators

Charmouths reach commercial size at the age of about 6 months. By this time, the fish weighs almost 1 kg. The performance indicators of the African catfish depend only on the quality of feeding. Environmental conditions have practically no effect on the growth of this fish.Therefore, the African catfish is considered a "planned" living creature. That is, the farmer can very easily calculate the ratio of the feed used and the gain, and therefore the estimated profit.

Breeding a sharmut is not only relatively straightforward. Many farmers also note the fact that African catfish is one of the most profitable in fish farming. The price per kg of his meat is quite high. At the same time, he does not consume too much feed.

The dimensions of the reservoir

Sharmouths are grown, including in Russia, today both in large fish farms and on small farms. Even some summer residents are engaged in breeding this fish in the summer season. By the size of the reservoir, Sharmut is not too whimsical. On a suburban area, some summer residents breed this fish even in very large barrels or plastic pools.

Water parameters

The African catfish is able to endure the water temperature of +18 ° C practically without harm to itself. Sometimes this fish survives for a long time even at t + 12 ° С. However, the highest productivity indicators can be achieved only when the African catfish is kept at a temperature not lower than 25-30 ° C. Wherein:

• the acidity index of water should be 6.5-8 pH;
• the salt content in the water should not exceed 10 ppm.

Water from lakes and rivers on the territory of the Russian Federation, therefore, is just perfect for breeding this fish. But, unfortunately, it is highly discouraged to use it to fill artificial ponds with clary catfish. The fact is that with such water it is very easy to introduce an infection to which this guest from Africa simply will not have immunity.

Therefore, ponds with sharmut are usually filled with well water. In this case, among other things, special installations can be used to reduce the alkalinity of the latter. The fact is that well water in many regions of the Russian Federation is very highly mineralized. Her pH values ​​are 8.5-9. When using water from natural lakes and rivers, it is usually additionally disinfected using special installations.

How to feed properly

The African catfish, the breeding of which is a relatively simple matter, is not only distinguished by its unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention, but is also almost omnivorous. In large farms, Sharmuts are usually given exclusive compound feed, prepared industrially according to special recipes. They are quite expensive. But on the other hand, catfish grow on them literally by leaps and bounds.

On the backyard, African catfish can be fed with all sorts of trash fish. It can be a gerbil, ruff, tulka. It is allowed to feed the fish with catfish, including frozen. Young animals, of course, have to grind such feed. But after the catfish reach 10 days of age, the need for this procedure, as a rule, disappears. The mouth of this fish is very large. The daily allowance for such feed for African catfish is 3% of their weight.

Throw the fish into the sharmut pond three times a day. The feed should be distributed over the entire pond surface. In this case, the fish will gain weight more evenly.

Feeding African catfish in this way is not difficult. But in no case should there be interruptions in the supply of food to the pond. The fact is that these fish, like any others, have a tendency to cannibalism. With a lack of nutrition, they will simply begin to eat each other.

Sometimes clarius catfish, like, for example, carp or trout, are fed with waste from poultry factories. For example, in Moscow and Kursk farms, Sharmutes are grown on chicken craws.

Broodstock

The producers of African catfish are raised, of course, separately from the marketable young. For the formation of the broodstock, the best individuals are selected and the most comfortable conditions for them are created with good feeding.

Clary catfish can spawn every month. But for this, the uterus should be stimulated.The eggs obtained from the latter are artificially fertilized with the sperm of males, and then placed in special incubator aquariums. From here, the already slightly grown fry of African catfish are transferred to the basins themselves.

Using this technology, Sharmut is bred mainly in large fish farms. Obtaining fertilized eggs in the conditions of a personal plot will, of course, be problematic. Therefore, summer residents who grow catfish usually just buy it from fish farms.

What to consider when drawing up a business plan for growing African catfish

Before starting to organize a farm for breeding this fish, an entrepreneur, of course, needs to make all the necessary calculations. A business plan for such a farm is drawn up, taking into account:

• equipment cost;
• consumption and prices for feed;
• fry cost;
• prices for the meat of the catfish itself.

Business plan: feed consumption

When using factory granulated mixtures or waste fish, this figure will, of course, be different. In the first case, 1 kg of feed is usually consumed per 1 kg of catfish weight. Waste fish will have to spend about 3 kg.

Equipment in large farms

When raising African catfish on large farms, the following types of equipment are usually used:

• large swimming pools;
• sedimentation tanks;
• wells-reservoirs;
• biofilters;
• feed dispensers.

The area of ​​the catfish breeding room itself depends, of course, on the number of individuals raised. So, a farm designed to produce 10 tons of fish per year should have an area of ​​at least 60 m2. In this case, the optimal volume of the pools is 10 m3. In order for the fish to feel comfortable, the water in these containers should be completely changed at intervals of 1 hour. This means that filters in the pools must be installed powerful enough.

African catfish: breeding at home

The climate in Russia is cold. Therefore, when grown in small summer cottages, a greenhouse is usually set up above the container with catfish. To maintain the required water temperature, special heaters are also used.

African catfish are raised under dim lighting. Therefore, barrels with this fish can be installed not only in a greenhouse, but also simply in a heated basement or even in a garage. In order to achieve a stable water temperature in tanks, in the latter case, wood panels are usually substituted under them.

The air temperature in the basement or garage reaches the required 25-30 ° C in winter, of course, not always. Therefore, when growing catfish in such premises, as in greenhouses, it is usually necessary to use additional heaters. Also in the garage you will need to equip ventilation. The fact is that heaters dry the air greatly, which leads to rapid evaporation of water from the container. The simplest fresh air ventilation will help solve this problem.

Water supply system

Catfish water can be pumped into barrels from a well or well. But, of course, it must first go through a coarse filter and, possibly, a softener. Additionally, you will also need to buy a separate container for settling water. After all, you cannot pour a cold one into a barrel of catfish. You will also need to make a soft filter with biobacteria (like in aquariums with ornamental fish, only large).

Business plan: how much fry, feed and meat cost

Fertilized African catfish eggs are sometimes purchased by farmers. But more often for fish farms they buy, of course, fry. It is relatively inexpensive. For 5000 pcs. fry are usually asked for only 1200-1500 rubles.

Food for African catfish (in addition to the expensive elite) can be produced mainly in two varieties: "Extra" and "Premium". The first one costs about 30-40 rubles for 25 kg. The price for the second is 40-60 rubles.

Of course, in order to calculate the profitability of a future farm, it is worth knowing how much the commodity African catfish actually costs. The price per kg of meat of this fish is approximately 150 rubles (wholesale).