Paddlefish - sturgeon fish with a characteristic feature - a nose in the form of an oar. Paddlefish has a high degree of adaptation and is unpretentious to the living conditions. That is why this type of fish is profitable to breed on an industrial scale.
General characteristics of paddlefish
Paddlefish is a fish belonging to the family of paddlefish and the species of radius. They are part of the sturgeon squad. Under natural conditions, paddlefish lives in the fresh waters of Asia and America.
Two main species of this fish are known - the American paddlefish and psefur (Chinese paddlefish). American paddlefish live in the Mississippi Basin, as well as in other rivers that flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Chinese paddlefish live in the Yang Zi basin.
These giant fish have been around for over 100 million years. Previously, there were much more, and habitats were more diverse. The paddlefish population has significantly decreased due to pollution of water bodies, active fishing, and a large number of hydropower plants erected.
The fish is kept far from the coast, at a depth of about 2 m. Her body is elongated. Eyes are small, vision is poorly developed. The mouth is motionless.
These fish are quite large: the average adult size reaches two meters in length, and the mass is in the range of 70-80 kg. They have a very long nose, which takes up to a third of the total body length. It is intended for successful hunting: it is the nose paddle that allows you to find food.
Scales on the surface of the body of paddlefish are practically absent. On the back there is one fin slightly shifted backward.
Paddlefish feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Under natural conditions, danger to them is represented by birds eating fish, lampreys and some parasitic microorganisms.
The flesh of the fish has not only high palatability: it contains many useful substances and trace elements, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Paddlefish is useful for the thyroid gland, controls the functions of the cardiovascular system, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Breeding Features
It is possible to grow this fish for commercial purposes: this species is a rarity and is highly valued. In Russia paddlefish are bred exclusively by artificial means. Under such conditions, it successfully ripens and multiplies.
The cultivation of this fish does not require special labor: paddlefish does not need any special conditions. When breeding this type of fish on an industrial scale, you can get up to 100 kg of paddlefish from 1 ha of the pond. The most effective breeding in specialized farms in the presence of reservoirs reserves.
The advantage of this type of business is that paddlefish can be raised along with other fish that eat plant foods. In addition, this fish safely tolerates winter in carp wintering ponds.
Another important advantage of breeding such fish is their rapid growth. Paddlefish are classified as fast-growing organisms. The rapid growth of this species of fish is due to the fact that paddlefish have a high ability to filter plankton using a wide filter plate. Fish actively captures fodder objects, because its range of nutrition is expanding significantly. The mouth of the paddlefish is constantly open, therefore, when swimming, they will certainly capture a suitable feed.
Fish is demanding on the oxygen regime, so you need to regularly monitor the oxygen content in the water.
Arrangement of a reservoir for breeding paddlefish
Paddlefish are a valuable object for reservoirs, cooling ponds, lakes in the middle and southern zones of Russia. In most of these reservoirs there are no conditions for the reproduction of fish, therefore, their periodic stocking and installation of the necessary equipment is required.
To start a business in the cultivation and cultivation of paddlefish, it is necessary to prepare a reservoir for this. The best climatic zones for paddlefish breeding in the territories of the countries of the former Soviet Union are forest-steppe and steppe physiographic zones.
The paddlefish breeding material can be grown in ordinary carp ponds. The pond must have a well-planned bed.
In fish-breeding tanks where paddlefish are grown, a direct-flow water management system should be equipped. This means that the water in the reservoirs comes from the water source, and then is discharged into the water intake.
In one pond, it is recommended to grow fish of the same age group, since otherwise the growth and development of older fish, which are much more demanding of living conditions, slows down.
When arranging a pond, the following characteristics must be taken into account:
- the temperature should be between 22-26 degrees;
- the optimal level of oxygen dissolved in water is at least 5 mg / l;
- optimal salinity - up to 4%;
- zooplankton biomass, which is the natural food for paddlefish, is 5 g / cu. m
Before launching the fry, organic fertilizers are applied to the bed of the pond. The soil must be harrowed by 5-7 cm.
Mineral fertilizers are applied only in well-dissolved form. As fertilizers usually use rotted manure, lime, superphosphate, potassium permanganate.
If fish is grown in water bodies for complex purposes, then their area should be no more than 2000 hectares. The depth of the ice-free water layer should be at least 1.5 m.
Necessary equipment, material
First you need to purchase tribal material. Each fry weighs about 25 mg. Recommended planting density - 2000-3000 copies per 1 ha.
Ordinary carp ponds do not require special equipment. The main thing is to ensure complete drainage and a system of independent supply and collection of water. It is also necessary to ensure the constant growth of phyto- and zooplankton.
Mesh tools for catching fish and tanks for transporting paddle boats equipped with devices for aeration of water will be required.
Caught paddlefish inspected, estimated weight and measured. It is easy to catch this fish.
Features of breeding paddlefish in a home farm
Paddlefish reach puberty at the age of 5-10, the general life cycle is up to 55 years. The onset of puberty is largely dependent on climatic conditions.
To stimulate the maturation of producers, use the pituitary glands of representatives of sturgeons.
Breeding
Artificial breeding should begin when the water temperature becomes stable and will be in the range of 13-15 degrees above zero.
The full cycle of paddlefish development includes 5 successive stages:
- Getting fertilized eggs and embryos.
- Growing larvae.
- Growing juveniles.
- Getting marketable fish.
- Growing manufacturers.
Spawning of these representatives of sturgeons begins in late April - early May. Paddlefish spawn in packs. Females spawn at a depth of 2 to 12 m.
One paddlefish female lays up to 250,000 eggs. The diameter of each of them is about 2.5 mm. Paddlefish caviar has a sticky texture, dark color.
Females do not spawn annually.
Growing Features
Fries appear after 9 days. They grow rapidly and gain weight: by the year their length reaches 70 cm.
It should be borne in mind that fry of this fish are not recommended to be planted in ponds due to low survival. It is best to pre-grow them in trays, bathtubs or pools with running water.
Dead larvae must be regularly selected. Young growth needs to be sorted by size.
Young individuals that grow in pools and reach 5 g can be released into ponds. By fall, specimens will gain the necessary weight.
In the presence of favorable conditions, the mass gain of fry paddlefish will be about 6 kg in one summer, and in less favorable conditions - up to 3 kg.
The dangers
The danger to fish and fry is the strong flowering of water and the abundance of nitration, in which younger representatives of sturgeon can become entangled. To suppress excessive vegetation in the pond, grass carp is planted in a pond.
Also, the development and functioning of these fish is negatively affected by the insufficient technical equipment of fish breeding reproducers and malnutrition of paddlefish during periods of growing up to the moment of reaching viable stages.
Nutrition
In order for the fish to actively develop and gain mass, the average mass of zooplankton should be in the range of 3-5 g / cu. m
Paddlefish is the only species of sturgeon that feeds exclusively on natural vegetation in the pond. A special feature of the nutrition of these fish is that at the time of hunting they begin to rotate violently with their tail so that more microorganisms rise up from the bottom of the reservoir, which the paddlefish eat.
Both adults and young animals feed on plankton. In particular, this fish prefers detritus, phytoplankton, and lower crustaceans. Far less often paddlefish absorb insect larvae. When they feel the need for food, they rise closer to the surface of the water with an open mouth. Fish pass water through the gills. This kind of filtering helps to ensure that all plankton is retained in the mouth, and then sent to the stomach.
Paddlefish compatibility with other fish
Paddlefish can be grown separately, but as practice has shown, it is not economically feasible.
Paddlefish can share space with other herbivorous fish: carp, black and white grass carp, channel catfish. The best results are achieved by growing this fish with bester, buffalo, carp.
Application in the food industry
Paddlefish fish is actively used in the food industry for subsequent processing. It has high nutritional value.
These sturgeon representatives are especially fatty. Their caviar is considered a delicacy.
Since the muscle tissue of fish of this species contains a lot of fat, smoked meats with excellent quality can be prepared from them. In particular, hot smoked products with a unique taste are prepared from the paddlefish.
The percentage of meat yield in paddlefish is higher than that of such representatives of sturgeon as stellate sturgeon and sturgeon, up to 61%.
Thermal processing of fish helps to eliminate a specific smell and a peculiar taste of dampness, which are characteristic of the muscle tissue of these representatives of sturgeons.
Also valuable for the food industry is paddlefish liver. It has a delicate and light consistency, is well absorbed. The liver is used to make canned foods.
Paddlefish rearing and breeding business plan
Since paddlefish are not very whimsical to living conditions, with the right approach and organization of the process of their cultivation, the business of breeding fish of this species will become promising and profitable.
The total cost of organizing a business, including the stage of preparing the reservoir, the purchase of fry and other necessary investments, will be about 1,000,000 rubles. The meat and caviar of paddlefish are expensive, because the payback period will be about 1-1.5 years.
Profitability in the cultivation of paddlefish, provided that the fish reaches marketable weight (1.6-3 kg) will be about 90%. If the entrepreneur collects caviar at the same time, then this indicator increases several times and varies between 900-1800%.
Paddlefish are representatives of the sturgeon family, which feed on zooplankton and phytoplankton and are not too demanding on the conditions of detention. When breeding this fish, you can get a good profit, especially if caviar is collected. Various canned food, hot and cold smoked products are prepared on the basis of paddlefish meat.