North Central Regional Aquaculture Center Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Culture Guide Steven D. Hart, Donald L. Garling, and Jeffrey A. Malison, Editors In Cooperation with USDA A publication of the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center NCRAC Culture Series #103 October 2006 Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Culture Guide A project of the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) Series Editor: Joseph E. Morris, Associate Director, North Central Regional Aquaculture Center Originally published October 2006, by Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa Yellow Perch Culture Guide ii NCRAC Culture Series 103 Table of Contents Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................................................vi Preface....................................................................................................................................................................................vii Chapter 1: Introduction............................................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: Basic Biology and Life History..............................................................................................................................3 Family ................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Range .................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Temperature and Water Quality Requirements ................................................................................................................... 3 Sexual Maturation and Spawning ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Hatching .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Feeding Habits .................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Growth................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 3: Brood Fish Management and Methods of Spawning.............................................................................................7 Brood Fish Acquisition ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Brood Fish Management ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 Spawning Methods.............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 4: Egg Fertilization, Incubation, and Hatching........................................................................................................ 11 Semen and Egg Collection ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Fertilization ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Incubation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Hatch ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Enumeration ...................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 5: Fingerling Production...........................................................................................................................................17 Pond Culture ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Tank Culture ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Tandem Pond/Tank Culture............................................................................................................................................... 21 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 6: Habituating Pond-Reared Fingerlings to Formulated Feeds in Ponds and Tanks................................................23 Habituating in Ponds ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Habituating in Tanks ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Chapter 7: Grow-Out Methods.............................................................................................................................................. 25 Flow-Through Systems ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 Recirculation Systems (RAS) ........................................................................................................................................... 26 Net Pens ............................................................................................................................................................................ 26 Ponds ................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Comparison of Key Grow-Out Parameters and Production Costs Among Grow-Out Systems ....................................... 28 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 29 NCRAC Culture Series 103 iii Yellow Perch Culture Guide Chapter 8: Disease and Health Management.........................................................................................................................31 1. Choice of Location ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 2. Quarantine for New Fish Arrival ................................................................................................................................. 32 3. Know the Fish Health Concerns of Each Life Stage ................................................................................................... 32 4. Know the Common Diseases of Juvenile and Adult.....................................................................................................33 Viral diseases ..............................................................................................................................................................33 Bacterial diseases .......................................................................................................................................................34 Water mold infection (saprolegniosis) ........................................................................................................................35 Diseases caused by parasites......................................................................................................................................36 Noninfectious diseases................................................................................................................................................38 5. Know What Should