PRODUCING - Alabama Cooperative Extension System

CIRCULAR ANR-327
PRODUCING
Channel Catfish Fingerlings
CATFISH HATCHERIES range from relatively
simple, open-pond spawning systems to complex
systems where eggs are incubated in troughs, depending
on the size and purpose of the operation.
Private hatcheries supply channel catfish fingerlings
for commercial food fish production, recreational
fee-fishing and home-use. Some hatcheries
sell fingerlings to other producers, while
others limit their operations to supplying their
own needs. A careful study of the market should
be conducted before investing in catfish fingerling
production to avoid losses caused by insufficient
demand.
Whatever the size or purpose of the operation,
there must be a sufficient supply of good quality
water and the soil and terrain must be suitable
for pond construction.
Success in fingerling production ca,lls for
healthy, disease-free catfish brood stock, suitable
ponds for holding brood stock and, in most cases,
nursery ponds for rearing fingerlings. Commercial
fingerling producers usually have separate
hatchery troughs and tanks where eggs are incubated
and the newly hatched fish, called fry, are
trained to feed before they are stocked into nursery
ponds. Tanks equipped with a dependable
water supply and aeration are needed to hold and
grade fingerlings before shipment. Seines of suitable
mesh size, length and depth and a fish transporter
are needed to harvest and transport fry
and fingerlings.
- Water of sufficient quantity and quality is critical
for all hatchery systems. The water supply
must be free of contamination such as pesticides.
JoHN JENSEN, Fisheries Specialist, Alabama Cooperative
Extension Service
REx DuNHAM, Assistant Professor, Department of Fisheries
and Allied Aquacultures, School of Agriculture,
Forestry and the Biological Sciences and the Alabama
Agricultural Experiment Station I
JoHN FLYNN, formerly Graduate Aide-Fisheries, Alabama
Cooperative Extension Service
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
-3-
Total alkalinity and total hardness should exceed
20 parts per million, and the pH should range between
6.5 and 8.0. Acid and soft pond water can
usually be corrected with agricultural limestone
to meet these requirements. The conditioning of
well water can be more difficult. Your county Extension
agent can assist in getting your water
tested.
Catfish fingerling production requires more
technical skill and management than producing
food-size fish from fingerlings. The fingerling
producer manages the reproductive behavior of
the catfish brood stock to meet his needs. The objective
is to produce a given number of fingerlings
of a certain size by a specified time. This requires
careful planning, a good understanding of the catfish
reproductive process and selection of an appropriate
production system. Most successful operations
start small and expand as the operator
gains experience.
Brood Stock Selection
Cattle and hog producers recognize that the
quantity and quality of young animals produced
is directly related to the selection and care of
brood animals. Likewise, successful fingerling
Figure 1. Healthy brood fish in the 3 to 10 pound size range are
needed to produce abundant, healthy fingerlings.