Milkfish Production and Processing ... - WorldFish Center

k) Office
l) Dormitory - to serve as quarters for
the technicians on duty
m) Workshop
n) Elevated Reservoirs
o) Overhead Sand Filter
p) Fry Packing Area
q) Aeration Supply System
r) Seawater and Freshwater
Supply System
4.3 Machinery and Equipment
The operation of a milkfish broodstock and
hatchery requires at the barest minimum water
pumps and air blowers. However, due to the
importance of ensuring continuous supply of
energy generator set is always a necessity in
order to have an uninterrupted life support.
For large establishments, laboratory equipment
to check for water quality, count density of
microalgae and other monitoring activities are
also advisable. However, backyard scale operation
can make do without such equipment.
a) Electric Generator – as back up
electricity supply
b) Water Pump for Seawater and
Freshwater
c) Air Blower
d) Microscope (optional) – to observe
development and health condition
of larvae.
e) Refractometer
f) Thermometer
g) Hemacytometer – for counting algal
density.
h) Drainers of varying types and
mesh sizes
i) Harvesting box
j) Scoop Nets
k) Sorting Cups
l) Dipping Buckets
m) Basins
Milkfish Production and Processing Technologies in the Philippines
5. BROODSTOCK ACQUISITION
AND MAINTENANCE
If milkfish broodstock is to be acquired, the
source of breeders shall be identified, selected and
arrangements made for their purchase and transport.
Quarantine/ holding facilities should be constructed
ahead together with the seawater system. The tanks
should be thoroughly washed and conditioned before
the arrival of broodstock. Although cages can be
utilized for broodstock maturation, it was never
used in commercial hatchery operation but it can
be used as holding/conditioning facilities for the
broodstock. The advantages of cages is the short
installation time required and the low operating cost
since it does not need pumps and aeration.
a) Broodstock selection shall be based on
the following criteria:
• Age of broodstock is from 4 to
6 years old,
• Body weight not lower than kg.
b) Conditioning of broodstock and transport
protocols are as follows:
• Milkfish broodstock reared in ponds
should be conditioned in a net pen
inside the pond or adjacent supply
canal 7 days prior to transport and
should not be fed at least days before
transport. If broodstock is held in floating
cages, the fish should be gradually
concentrated in the upper meters
and allowed to rest and not fed at least
days before transport.
• On the day of transport, the broodstocks
are transferred into a 4 x 4
holding net cage with a 1 cm knotless
mesh to permit easy removal of
individual fish.
• The fish are then individually scooped
out of the holding cage and placed
in 0.05 ton fiberglass tank containing
chilled seawater ( 0- °C) with
0. ml/L -phenoxyethanol.
• Anesthetized fish, as characterized
by loss of balance (ventral side up),
immobility, and rapid and shallow
opercular movement are weighed and
transferred to 1.0 ton fiberglass tank
filled with seawater to recover normal
swimming behavior.
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