Have any of the members got involved in fish farming?

This is alternative diet being studied for Pla Nin (Talapia)

The wife is new at this but she is giving it a go. Lots to learn. Boy if you could figure out how to use he left over from the rice harvest you would have something.

It's hardly a big operation, she is hoping to sale to the Talots. But, I think that is covered already, she may open a food stall and sale them that way. Sharing ideas is more the welcome.

The government fishery here Udon has been a wonderful help. They test the water a in a few mins and it's free.

http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/111 ... -and-yeast

OT and his wife was offered a business to farm tapalia, which grow at a remarkable speed, and then sell them on to the talat. The downside was having to have 24/7 security to stop poachers, which is possible. The difficult bit came to try and stop the fish escaping in all directions during the rainy season,which in our opinion would be quite difficult. I never looked into the profit margin. The guy wanted 500baht a month for the pond but it was easily accessible to the public.

OT...........

Today's news at http://www.manager.co.th/Local/ViewNews ... 0000079445 has a piece about the hazards of fish farming in Udon in the rainy season:
Among the problems:
rapid pH changes due to temperature changes, sediment/chemical problems due to runoff into ponds, soil erosion, broken berms causing fish to escape, among other hazards. It closes by saying: If you have any questions, feel free to consult with the Fisheries Office.
Back in the big flood of 2001 (13" of rain in 6 hours), a nearby fishing resort lost over 50,000 fish when the berms on the ponds burst from large inflows of water off the rice fields. Our immediate neighbor's pond also burst releasing a few thousand good size fish into the nearby reservoir.
We keep a few hundred catfish fat and satisfied in a small pond.....had them all ready for the end of the world in May, but looks like we'll have to wait until December before that'll happen.

I was talking to one of the local Tapalia fish farmers a couple of weeks ago and he told me not to buy any fish from his opposition as they feed their fish on “Cow 5hit”, I was a little shocked by this and asked him what he fed his fish on, to which he proudly replied “Chicken 5hit” .
I just cant bring myself around to eating any Plan nin at or from the markets anymore.

Bill

I went to the fishery very nice people, they will check you water for you free and supply the fish 1000 fry cost me 300 baht, so not much to lose now it's after you have been feeding for a year that you can really lose. I'm installing large drains on the low area of the ponds with screen in up of not over flowing. But, Udon being Udon and having been here when we had the big flood. It's a risk simple as that.

The Burms I will try to grass them can't do it right now. But our ponds won't be used for about three months. Hopefully I can get them grassed before next rainy season. You can cement them, but I'm worried about the chemicle's in the cement more then the dirt.

We got a book in Thai and it recommend feeding them bullshit. Now that confuse me do I need to stand by the pond and tell them war stories or do I need to go find a cow. Don't worry we are feeding them fish food. By the chicken that has been around for years even in the states. So you have already eaten it and are still alive.

Pla Nin like allegy, there is a way to prepare the pond for that growth. I have fond where a local fisherman has explained how to do this. But he does 1 rai ponds as well, going to take a bit of math to figure that one out.

This year a neighbor is loaning us pond to experiment with hopefully we will learn a but this year. That one I can very little with since it's not mine so I am concerned about run off. We have two ponds waiting for the rain till fill them. before I transfer the fish I will get a water sample from the pond and have the fishery check it and tell me if I need to do anything to it. One of my concerns was getting enough air into the ponds, They told us it's not a concern in you have a earthen pond. Cement you need it.

Feed is the biggest expense. I found a project that uses a formula to use rice husk as feed. That would cut cost considerably less, But a lot to learn not just rice husk in it, which needs to be fermented (10 days ) and made into pellets some how.

Remember the trip from hell that was to check put a solar set up to run air into the ponds. I'm not sure I will need it we will know after the experiment, if we still have fish after the flood. I'm still researching it but if I don't need it I won't do it.

I think in any farming operation there is risk. But hopefully we can learn enough for the wife supplement our income after I check out.

We have one Rai between ring road and Nong Sai, eventually that will converge with Udon, not in my life time but in my wife's it will. That was the biggest investment but it does hold a value, that more then likely won't go away.

This should help to keep me busy learning, cos of fuel is so high pretty expensive to running all over Thailand on the bike these days.

So I have this and my stocks to play with hopefully cabin fever won't it to hard. I'll still get my rides in but just like last year not as many.

Thanks for all your input guys, be glad to share anything I've learned along the way.

Here is one part of the solar system to run air pumps. Freights more then the panels.

Keep in mind the fishery tells me I don't need them unless, we should know in a while based on die off. I won;t put them in the pond that is not mine and I have to give serious thought to security, this is only one part of the system so it could grow little feet very fast out there.

Here is my quotation:

Name: 140W mono solar panel
Price: FOB Shenzhen USD252.00/pc
Delivery time: 7 working days

Airfreight by UPS for 4pcs 140W solar panel from China to Thailand door to door is USD361.00

Interesting I read the information from ans established fish farmer in another forum. Guess what he adds fertilizer to his ponds to get algae growth. His of course is a specific mix so he is not following cows around. I was really looking forward to tell the fish war stories.

The fish eat the Algae not the poop, reduces feed costs.

We have also found the netting to put around the pond to help on flood losses.

We have two sources of water a bore hole that belongs to a family member that we bought the land from ( that always makes me v nervous to depend on someone else that has nothing to gain) The other is Government water system. I will have to run about 600 ft of pipe either way.

The problem is the Government water has chlorine in it, fish can't survive with that. If I can learn a way to to make the water safe for fish. I would rather go that route.

Anyone go any ideas?

My wife and I are business folks operating a rice mill, pig breeding and meat production farm and also have a 30x20x3 meter pond which has served us well as a talapia production pond. We have had some of the problems associated with a fish pond; poachers, many relatives wanting free fish etc. To keep fish from escaping and wild fish from entering the pond I simply put in a 4 inch pipe between the pond and the common ditch by the roadside, along with a 4 inch standpipe that I can add to depending on the rais. I cover it with porous plastic and, problem of overflow and fish escape is solved. Since talapia are basically algae feeders, No problem here in thailand. I suppliment thier feed with pig manure which doubles their size very quickly. A study has been done on which manure, cow, chicken, pig was best and pig manure was the winner by yards.
Keeping poachers away can be difficult, relatives even harder. We have my wife's sister and her husband living on the farm so poachers have been esentially been thwarted. The relatives.....
Selling the talapia is not difficult; what we do not use for our family, is sold to the locals at the night market in our village.
You are never going to make a fortune out of a modest pond, however, you can feed the family, buy school uniforms for the kids etc.
Good luck. It is a pleasant venture.
M

Thanks that's very helpful, the idea is to supplement the wife's income when I check out. Keep my brain bucket working. I may be worrying to much about Chlorine as rain should top the ponds off each year. At worse case if I use the city water to top one off it would be very diluted and probably not worth worrying about.

I finally remembered the guy in the states, who caught some small fry in the Salton Sea heavier salt content then the ocean. He took them home put them in a large plastic pool and filled it with city water (Chlorine) fed em dry cat food. They not only survived he finally had to quit he ad to many fish. (reproduction)

Pla Nin are a tough little creatures. Poaching always a probability. If we get serious then I will take measure's to do something about it.

Fertilizer usage I get a kick of how that turns peoples off, yet they have no problem eating vegetables, which also eats fertilizer. Probably the thought more then reality.

Thanks for your input.

Interesting piece about your intentions and progress. I intend doing some fish farming soon and have done some research, particularly on alternative fish foods - particularly aquatic plants. it is possible to grow fish on them alone, but labour intensive. Would be interested in any further experiences.

I dont know much about this, but when I read about escaping fish , then I ask myself why dont you breed them in wire/plastic cages submerged in the pond, with a doorway on top thats lockable..you could have a jetty type thing across the pond with the cages on either side..would make for ease of handling too perhaps...

as for solar, you should be able to get panels in BKK, or if not there in KL, or Singers, or Aussie..anything but Chinese..

Well we are in it now, the highest expense is adding water to the pond since it's not mature yet. I'm told that takes about two years. Escaping fish the edges of our ponds are about one meter high, We will install drain pipes covered with mesh wire to get rid of excess water in the rainy season. Also add a netting around them available just about everywhere.

The expensive thing is the fish, the wife got carried away and bought 2000 for 600 baht. Our ponds will not support that many fish. Since they are talapia we will have a problem with the reproduction rate. Thai's like little fish so in about three months we will reduce the population. To get some good size fish. We can add Catfish they will eat the fry.

What we didn't know at the time was that we wanted only male fish. Feed really isn't really that bad we got a good supply of algae, that also that is big part of there diet.

It's a learning experience, eventually I believe we will have t o make one of the ponds a grow out pond.

Right now its a interesting hobby, while we learn will it be more I have no idea and probably won't for several years.

Next month we are putting in a one meter high building pad on a 1/2 rai.

just doing a little at a time.

Friend is into solar what he finds in Chaing Mai it all comes from China in that area. I'm on the hunt for a simple airriation system, with earthen ponds it's not have to be. But, it does effect the grow rate.

www.solartron.co.th

This Thai company in Bangkok, have been in the solar business for 25yrs, and sell and will install all kinds of solar power systems..I think they are still in business, you if get stuck

Thanks I will give them a try

There is a very extensive on this on T.V.

This is what I picked up from there. The idea of Cat Fish, the guys have not had a good experience with that. The Pla Duk ( cat Fish ) get bid bit the Pla Nin (Talapia) don't. Cats eat all the food and apparently can eat fish as large 300 grams. We got ours from here in Udon the Fishery. They have had problems cause you get a mix of male And female fish.

I'm trying to get the contact information on a guy in Nong Khai that will supply only male fish.

Thia was learning year for us. Buying fish is nothing 600 baht for 2000, after the pond the real cost is not in food but, pumping water. Fuel costs can get real high.

So we are going to let out ponds evaporate we stopped feeding them as of of now. We will get all the fish out and start over. The wife plans on drying them, her deal not mine

With the size of fish I want can't have all the babies, won't work. I'm grateful I found out now, it only be worse later.