Studies on the monoculture of milkfish in artificial ponds

Abstract

The results of two sets of miikfish culture experiments conducted in the polyethylene film-lined ponds at Calicut sea shore are given. Maximum instantaneous growth rate(1.8219-1.2155)was observed for fish which were stocked at a smaller size (16.3 mm - 53.6 mm) and minimum (0.5433-0.3727) for the fish which were stocked at a bigger size (104 mm and 107 mm). A maximum survival rate of 88.8 % in 180 days was observed for the fish which were stocked at 16.3 mm size under 1/m' stocking density; whereas for fish which were stocked at a higher stocking size of 130.5 mm it was 99.0% for 107 days under the same stocking rate. Highest production of 1882 kg/ha/181 days under 2/m'' stocking density and 1751 kg/ha/180 days under 1/m' stocking density were obtained. The economics of the culture operation has been worked out. Optimum stocking size, stocking density, pond size and culture period have been suggested. The earlier reports on the culture of miikfish are compared.