Production of Longnose Catfish (Leiocassis longirostris) Fingerlings in Beijing Using the ASA 80:20 Pond Model and Soymeal-Based Feeds
Category: Aquaculture
Region: Northeast Asia
DownloadA feeding trial was conducted at the Xu Xing Zhuang Fish Culture Farm in Beijing to demonstrate fry to fingerling growth performance of longnose catfish (Leiocassis longirostris) using the ASA 80:20 pond production model and soymeal-based fry and fingerling feeds. Fish were stocked in three ponds of size 5.0-mu each at a density of 5,000 longnose catfish and 1,000 silver carp fry per mu. Catfish were fed a combination of soymeal-based 41/11 fry and 36/7 fingerling feeds. Longnose catfish grew from 0.8 g to an average weight of 45 g per fish in 110 days of feeding. Gross production averaged 186 kg/mu for longnose catfish and 70 kg/mu for silver carp. Average survival rates for longnose catfish and silver carp were 83% and 100%, respectively. Longnose catfish fed the combination of ASA soy-based feeds yielded an average FCR of 1.18:1. Average net economic return was RMB 1,921 per mu. Return on investment (ROI) averaged 33.6%. Longnose catfish exhibited good growth performance, FCR, survival and economic return in this trial, and are a promising pond culture species in feed-based production systems for the China freshwater aquaculture industry.