Ponds

Ponds are very small and shallow bodies of quiet standing waters with only slight wind action. The farming of fish is generally practiced in ponds. Ponds may be naturally created or man made. Generally, man made or artificial ponds are created to serve fish farming.

Classification of Ponds: According to fish culture system, ponds are classified into six categories.

1. Breeding ponds
2. Hatching ponds
3. Nursery ponds
4. Rearing ponds
5. Stocking ponds
6. Marketing ponds

Breeding ponds: Breeding ponds also called spawning ponds for breeding of cultivable fishes. In fish farm, most of the breeding ponds are artificial as well as natural.

Natural breeding ponds situated in the bank of Halda River. The size of breeding ponds could be 0.01 ha with a water depth of 30-60 cm. All the natural factors necessary to induce fish spawning are provided under pond conditions, i.e., rapid warming shallow water with macro vegetation on the bottom for spawning, sufficient dissolved oxygen, presence of both sexes etc.

Artificially breeding tanks used as breeding ponds. These tanks, regardless of their shape and size, essentially need a continuous supply of filtered, clear, clean and well oxygenated running water of optimum temperature. A breeding tank may be rectangular in shape, a convenient size being 4m x 2m x 1m for 8-10 breeders weighing 3-6 kg each (both male and female) in each case.

Hatching ponds: Hatching ponds for putting the spawn for hatching into fry. It is smaller and is used mainly to nurse the hatchlings for a period of two to three weeks until they become fry. The depth of the water column may be between 1.0 and 1.5m. The maximum stocking density of hatchlings is about 10 million/ha. These ponds are meant only for a short time.

Nursery ponds: Nursery ponds for keeping fry to develop up to fingerling stage. Drainable, small ponds, 0.05-2.00 ha and depth around 0.5 to 1.2m. Pond bottom gently sloping towards outlet but plane. Rectangular shape and convenient width for netting operations. Nursery ponds used in 15-30 days to grow 2-5 cm of fingerlings. A sump at outlet for collection o fingerlings.     

Rearing ponds: Rearing ponds for transferring fingerlings to attain adulthood. Drainable ponds larger than nurseries, 0.25-10.00 ha and depth around 0.8-2 m. Rectangular shape and convenient width for netting operations.

The management of rearing ponds includes:

Ø     Removal of weeds.

Ø     Elimination of predatory and weed fishes.

Ø     Manu ring with organic and inorganic fertilrzers.

Ø     Stocking fingerlings with suitable combinations and ratios.

Ø     Supplementary feeding and

Ø     Harvesting.  

Stocking ponds: Stocking ponds for keeping adult-sized fishes as broods. Drainable, of rectangular shape 2-3 ha and depth around 1-2.5 meters. A width of 20-30m facilitates netting operations.

Marketing ponds: Marketing ponds for keeping fishes to be marketed. The size of marketing ponds could be range 0.10-1.0 ha with a water depth of 1.2-2.0 m.

References:

Gupta, S. K., and Gupta, P. C., (2006), General and applied ichthyology (fish and fisheries).

Jhingran, V. G., and Pullin, R. S. V., (1985), A Hatchery manual for the common, Chinese and Indian major carps.