FRESHWATER FISH CULTURE 32 | stronger adaptation capacitytochangingweather conditions inChina. performed best with fast growth, less reliance on trash fish as feed and Finally thehybridsnakehead(female C.asiatica in 1994scientistscarriedoutwork onhybridisationofthesnakehead. twice thatofthelocalvariety. To overcometheproblemofinbreeding, this HongKongstockgainedan average weightof1kg,whichwas showed goodgrowthperformance. Withina6-monthcultureperiod, first batchofC.asiaticafromHongKongwas introduced toShundeand intensively in ponds and cages in Shunde, Guangdong. In 1987, the Since the1980s,wildcaughtsnakeheadfishfingerlingswerestocked Seed industries, suchasseedstockandformulatedfeed. good marketingstrategies have spurredthedevelopment of supporting and otherprovinces.Thisinterestinsnakeheadfarmingcoupledwith Zhejiang, 35,000tonnesinShandongand12,000Guangxi tonnes, comprising170,000tonnesinGuangdong,100,000 in is increasingwithatotalannualproductionofmorethan350,000 the expandingChina’s domesticmarket,snakeheadfishproduction snakeheads wereintroducedtothecentralandnorthofChina.With of hybridsnakeheadfarmingareasareinthesouth.Recently, hybrid and hasbecomemorepopularinChina.Currently, morethan90% hybrid snakeheadfishhaveovercomeitsnegative‘ghostfish’image After nearly 10 years of promotion and good farming practices, the Expansion infarming Shunde, Guangdongin1994. C. asiatica(♀)andmaleargus♂wasdevelopedsuccessfullyin farming industry, ahybridspecieswhichiscrossbetweenfemale encouraged itsintensivefarming.Withadevelopingsnakeheadfish the snakeheadsome30yearsagoresultedinhigherprices.Thisalso the centralandnorthernprovinces.Lowersuppliesfromoverfishingof mainly distributedinsouthChinaandC.argusarefoundmostly C. asiaticaandargusarefarmed.maculate species reportedinChina,butonlythreeofthem,Channa of thehighlandareas.Therearemorethansevensnakeheadfish commercial fishofhighmarketvalueinChineseaquaculture. tasty. Thisanditshighfleshyieldmakethesnakeheadsanimportant physiological activitiesofthehumanbody. Addedtothis,thefishis properties inpromotingmusclegrowth,hematopoiesisandsomeother and for centuries, the snakehead fish is listed for its pharmacological Asian countries. snakeheads arehighlyvaluedasafoodfishinChinaandsomeother 2002, theyhavebeenfrequentlysightedintheUS.Oncontrary, of severalsnakeheadsinapondCroftonMarylandJune invasive fishtotheUSaquacultureindustry. Sincethefirstappearance The snakehead fish from China is considered as an exotic predator and with supplyandindustrylooksforwardtosteadypricesfilletexportbettermarketing. Farming ofthefishhasexpandedbutwithadependenceonlocallivemarkets.Pricesfluctuate By DongQiufen,PengZhidong,MeiGaoshang,ZhangSongandYang Yong in China Hybrid snakehead fish farming The snakeheadfishiswidelydistributedinChina,withtheexception China isacountrywithlonghistoryintraditional herbal medicine, November/December 2013 AQUA CultureAsia Pacific Magazine ♀ x maleC.argus maculate, ♂) better growthtraits. hybrid, itrequiresmoresophisticatedbreedingtechnologytoproduce However, thisnewhybridspeciesdoesnotperformbetter thanthe1994 snakehead fishfrommaleC.asiatica(♂)andfemaleargus♀). Now, thereisanongoingworkinShundetodevelopanotherhybrid Guangdong toZhejiangprovincewhichismorethan1,000kmaway. Guangdong. Thissolvedtheproblemoftransportingseedstockfrom developed ahybridsnakeheadfishhatcherysimilartothatin of AgriculturalSciencesHangzhou,Zhejiangprovincesuccessfully and northChina.In2007,theFisheriesResearchInstituteofAcademy Some fish seedtraderssell thefrytosome otherprovinces ineast 1 billionfry. ThemarketforfryistheintensivefarmsinGuangdong. production inGuangdongprovince,andtheyearlyoutputismorethan 100 privatesectorhatcheriesandnurseriesforhybridsnakeheadfry snakehead justhidesinthesoilwithoutfeeding.Therearemorethan Guangdong, thelowesttemperaturecanbeaslow10ºC,when suitable province forhatcheryproductionofseedstock.Buteven in As thewinteriscoldinmostareasofChina,Guangdong Guangdong leadsinhatcheryproduction and commoncarp togetherwithsnakeheadfish. Insuchpolyculture maintain water quality, they stock some carps, such as bighead carp exchange -aresultofyears farming experience.To controland the technologytomaintaingood waterqualitywithminimal or limitedwater exchange. In such situations, farmers have mastered usage isrestricted,farmersfarm thefishwithoutanywaterexchange fed withextrudedfeeds.Astheavailability ofwaterislimitedandits more fishoutputsomesixmonthslater. ponds accordingtomarketdemands,agoodpricethisyearwilllead to influence fish farming activity. Farmers also stock snakehead fish from April to July, but rainy weather conditions can significantly With global warming, the hybrid snakehead fish fryare now available Farming trends Figure 1:Commercialsnakeheadhybrids Hybrid snakeheadfishisusually farmedintensively inponds and C. asiatica C.argus ♀x C.argus ♂ ♂

C. asiatica C. asiatica ♀x C.argus ♀ ♂ FRESHWATER FISH CULTURE | 33 Crucian carp 95 0.07 - - - 210 46% 195 0.52 0.73 Silver carp 30 0.28 - - - 1150 87% 650 0.64 0.28 Snakehead 5.36 33.14% 2735 2.5 1500 9.77 1.09 2 to 3 3 to 5 190 700 70% 26,732 1.08 58,836 44,190 14,646 20 ) 2 ) 2 ) 2 November/December 2013 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific Magazine ) 2

Parameters (m Culture area B/C (%) Note: USD rate of The exchange 2011. on 2 December were collected 1. Fish prices and CNY was 1:6.37 CNY/500g (2.55 USD/kg), 2. Snakehead fish price on 15 August 2013 was 7.8 the exchange rate of USD and CNY was 1: 6.11. Pond depth (m) (fish/ fish juvenile of Size kg) Stocking density (fish/m Unit profit (USD/m Feed conversion ratio Feed conversion ratio (FCR) Feed frequency (times/ day) Feed rate (%BW) Culture duration (days) Body weight at harvest (g/ fish) Survival rate (%) (kg) Yield Price (USD/kg) Gross income (USD) Production cost (USD) Net income (USD) Unit production (kg/m Table 1 Snakehead fish farming in China in 2011 in China fish farming 1 Snakehead Table

. 2 , as after May the weather 2 Tyson Animal NutritionTyson Group www.tysonanimalnutritiongroup.com respectively, and that for snakehead snakehead for that and respectively, 2

and 0.4 fish/m 0.4 and 2 . The snakehead is an air breather and can live without is an air breather . The snakehead 2

Nutritionally sound sources available Readily Accurate track and trace of products Raw materials from USDA-inspected facilities formulationReduced cost (1500 fish/kg). 2 • • • • • © 2013 Tyson Foods, Inc. Tyson is a registered trademark of Tyson Foods, Inc. ingredient source for the aquaculture industry. for the source aquaculture ingredient Our chicken meals and fats and meals a safe proven are and chicken Our Nutrition for Aquaculture Trusted, Sustainable Sustainable Trusted, However, from March to May, it is still cold and rainy in Guangdong it is still cold and from March to May, However, The seasons in China allow for three different harvests. The three different harvests. in China allow for The seasons The third crop is stocked after June and harvested in June the The third crop is stocked after June and harvested and a different culture management is deployed. The second crop of management is deployed. The second crop and a different culture is harvested fish and crop first the after months 2 about stocked is fish to 7 of period farming after a year the following to April November from is size is more than 700 g. Here the production 12 months. The harvest larger when the stocking density 15 fish/m first crop of hybrid fish involves stocking fingerlings before May, and involves stocking fingerlings before first crop of hybrid fish not the same year with a farming period of harvesting from September g. harvest size is usually from 500 g to 750 more than 6 months. The rate survival and cold is Guangdong in weather the crop, first this In is higher than other two crops at about and stocking density is low, water for more than 7 days, if the skin is moist enough. Aerators are Aerators enough. moist is skin if the 7 days, than for more water for the carps. ponds to provide oxygen used in the 20 fish/m systems, the stocking density for bighead carp and common carp is carp carp and common for bighead density the stocking systems, fish/m 0.2 about is hot and stable with high fish survival rate. Fish also grow slowly over is hot and stable with high fish survival rate. the winter season with no feed intake. harvest The farming cycle is 10 to 15 months and following year. is about 13 fish/m size is about 800g. The stocking density The advantage is the better chance of selling fish with a good price The advantage is the better chance of selling commercial size fish in in June, when usually there are not enough of the market. The risks to diseases are high because of the frequent weather changes The risks to diseases are high because of the the farming period. from winter to spring and then to summer during is 13-20 fish/m FRESHWATER FISH CULTURE 34 | of extrudedfeeds. results, resultinginthelossofconfidencesomefarmersuse C. asiaticatofeedthehybridfish,butcouldnotachievegoodculture margins. Severalfeedmillsthenpromotedtheuseofextrudedfeedsfor and survivalratelower. Costofproductionwashigherwithlowerprofit high andwithbadwaterquality, thefrequencyofdiseaseswashigher fish whichwasmorelabourintensive.Feedconversionratio(FCR) They havealreadyfounditdisadvantageous to feedthefishwithtrash farmers in the south showed some interest in using extruded feeds. since 2000,asextrudedfeedsforotherfishspeciesbecomeavailable, In thepast,snakeheadfishwasfedtrashinChina.However, Feed Harvesting Email: [email protected] Tel: +61 269562305/+61 427 695662 Australia 2652 Grong NSW 2373 OldWagga Road NativeSilverwater Fish November/December 2013 AQUA CultureAsia Pacific Magazine

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g s has helpedmanyfeedmillsandfishfarmers. to diseases.TheHinteraquaculturenutritionandfarmingserviceteam which canreducefishmalformation,increasegrowthandresistance feed. ThecompanyhastheHinterA701premixforsnakeheadfish have playedaroleinpromotingsnakeheadfishfarming withextruded snakehead fish, Guangzhou Hinter Biotechnology Co., Ltd is proud to nutrition. Withseveralyearsofexperienceindevelopingfeedforthe quality fingerlings,farmmismanagementandunbalancedfeed even completelyabsent.Previously, thishas beenattributedtopoor malformations inthesnakeheadfishisverylowChina,sometimes management andextrudedfeeds,thecurrentrateforskeletal from ahighFCRof1.4tothelowestat1.0. Haid Group has an FCR of 0.9-1.2 and that of other feed brands range formulation. The feedofGuangzhou Haiwei FeedCo.,LtdofGuangdong reputation for quality with fishmeal added at morethan 30% inthe quality ofthefeeds.Butlargerfeedcompanieshaveupheldtheir protein, suchaspoultrymealandbloodmeal,ultimatelyreducingthe fish feed producers are likely to incorporate other animal sources of the pastfewyears,withpriceoffishmealincreasing,somesmall (44% crudeprotein).FeedperformanceandFCRvarywithbrands.In price variesfromUSD1.51/kg(39%crudeprotein)to1.64/kg in an oversupply and fierce competition among producers. The feed feed companiesproducingfeedsforthesnakeheadfish.Thisresulted now prefertouseextrudedfeed. farming ofC.argus, using trash fish in the north of China, most farmers 70,000 tonnesin2009and220,0002012.Exceptforsome 200 tonnes,butreached3,000tonnesin2003,20,0002005, In 2002,theextrudedfeedmarketforsnakeheadfishwasjustabout efforts bythefeedmills,farmersgraduallyacceptedextrudedfeeds. fish. Withnutritionalimprovementstothefeedandmorepromotional two oftheearlyproducersextrudedfeedsspecificforsnakehead Guangzhou Haiwei Feed Co., Ltd and Shunde Baian Feed Co., Ltd are Extruded feeds Extruded feedforthe snakeheadfishfrom44-39%crude protein In addition,withbetterqualityseedstock,goodfarming Currently inGuangdongandGuangxi,therearemorethan30fish 5#-39CP 3#-41CP 1#-44CP 6#-39CP 4#-40CP 2#-42CP FRESHWATER FISH CULTURE | 35 November/December 2013 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific Magazine As the fish is produced for the local market only, little has been little has market only, is produced for the local As the fish shows a significant negative correlation The fish farming quantity In 2012, from January to August, the average weight of snakehead was 0.65- was snakehead of weight the average August, January to 2012, from In Note: of snakehead was the average weight 0.9 kg/fish and from September to December, 0.55-0.9 kg/fish (Adapted from www.fishfirst.cn) 30%. Since profits have been very high in the past, it has attracted attracted it has past, the in very high been have profits Since 30%. This resulted in fish farming. investing in snakehead many newcomers very low with a Fish prices were and reduction in prices. an oversupply point in in 2011 and hit the highest in 2010 but rose large production 2013 (Figure 2). down again in early 2012 but dropped there China, In farming. fish snakehead of quantity the control to done show farmers how to control farming quantity. is no accurate data to the years. In 2010, fish price was low and with fish prices of previous 2011 by 20% and this prompted a higher price output declined in early in Guangdong from 2010 to 2013 Figure 2: Snakehead fish prices Species-specifi c immune modulators Species-specifi Bio-active herbal extracts Natural growth promotors based on ora modulation of the gut microfl GM ®

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SANACORE AQUASTIM APEX Health & Well-being Health & Well-being Health & Well-being The 100% natural way to reduce the impact of diseases and parasites! We have developed an innovative range of natural feed additives to effectively reduce reduce reduce have developed an innovative range of natural feed additives to effectively have developed an innovative range of natural feed additives to effectively have developed an innovative range of natural feed additives to effectively We We We sh and shrimp. sh and shrimp. sh and shrimp. the impact of disease outbreaks and parasitic infestations on productivity of fi the impact of disease outbreaks and parasitic infestations on productivity of fi the impact of disease outbreaks and parasitic infestations on productivity of fi

nutriad program HEALTH Bad bugs control! bugs Bad Usually both farmers and fish traders can easily profit from Usually both farmers and fish traders can snakehead fish farming, although it is still a high risk industry snakehead fish farming, although it is is level farm the at margin profit The fluctuations. price of because 10 to 1) and at the retail levels, margins can be around 33% (Table Marketing fish with more than Guangdong is the largest producer of snakehead of the production is sent 1,300 ha of farming area. More than 80% northern provinces. to Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hubei and some other as the snakehead is an The Chinese prefer to consume live fish and km 2,000 than more over transported easily is fish the breather, air the live snakehead fish is without affecting survival rate. The price of 30% higher than chilled fish. Feeding the fish with extruded feed Feeding the fish with extruded FRESHWATER FISH CULTURE 36 | protocol andproducesafefish. on theenvironmentalimpactandtokeepasustainableaquaculture aquaculture. However, itisstillnecessarytoraisefarmers’awareness With strictlegalregulations, banned medicinesareseldomusedin Food safety diseases. Mostofthemalsoprovidetechnicalservicestofarmers. chemicals andtreatmentstomaintaingoodwaterqualitytreat fish survivalandprices.Therearemanyanimalhealthcompanieswith farmers needtobeableanticipateandpreventthisfromaffecting fish easilysuccumbtodiseases.Putridskin diseaseiscommonand With changingclimaticconditionsandlimitedwatersupply, the Diseases management system,technologyandotheravailableresources. Keda Hengsheng.Theselargergroupshavegoodreputationwith started breedingprogramssuchasBaiRongFishSeedlingandNanhai rather thanquality. Thegoodnewsisthatsomereputablegroupshave quality fingerlings,becausesomeproducersjustcareaboutquantity The highprofitsofhybridseedproductionhaveencouragedsomelow snakehead fish,butalltheselackastandardmanagementprotocol. There aremanyprivatesectorhatcheriesandnurseriesforhybrid Seedstock there aresomeurgentissueswhichrequireattention. The snakehead fish hasbecome an important foodfish inChina but Outlook in late2013willbebetterthan2012. that fishoutputshoulddecreasebyabout40%in2013,andtheprice prices droppedattheendof2012.Followingthistrend,itispredicted in 2011.Whenthetotalfishquantityincreasedby25%late2011, high qualityaquafeed. Email:[email protected] (DongQiufen). from GuangzhouHinterBiotechnology Co.Ltd.Hintermainlydeliverstotalpracticalsolutionsforaquafeed millstohelpthemproduce From left,DongQiufen,PengZhidong,MeiGaoshang, DrZhangSongandYang Yong areexpertsinaquaculturenutrition andhealth November/December 2013 AQUA CultureAsia Pacific Magazine and othercountries. knowhow on snakehead fish farming in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia Asian countries. The Hinter international service team is sharing their examples forthedevelopmentofsameindustryinotherSoutheast in snakeheadfishfarmingandexperiencesfromChinaaregood industry isexpectedtodeveloppositively. Inaddition,thesuccess products, suchashandbagandhandicrafts. leather producersaretryingtousethefishskinproducecommercial mainly focusedonthetilapiaandshrimp.InZhejiangprovince,some export offillet.ThiswilladdtoChina’s seafoodexportswhicharenow higher thantilapiaandchannel catfish and thushasapotential forthe The meatyieldforthesnakeheadishighat63%which3to5% marketing communicationandtoensurethatthereisnooversupply. More assistanceandguidancefromthegovernmentaresoughtinfish association aswellamarketingsystemtoensureitsprofitability. As fishpricesfluctuateeveryyear, theindustryneedsafishtrade Marketing Hybrid snakeheadfry When someoftheseproblemsareresolved,thesnakeheadfish