Bluegill Production Sunfish / Bluegill Fillets - 5 lbs Price: $87.00 Skin on Fillets - Individually Frozen 2012 source: internet CHUCK HICKS PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR LINCOLN UNIVERSITY AQUACULTURE PROGRAM
METHODS BLUEGILL AQUACULTURE Late March initiate fertilization. 25 pounds alfalfa meal/acre. 16 pounds super-triple phosphate (0-46-0)/acre Fertilize weekly until spawning is completed. Monitor zooplankton
INSTALL SPAWNING ENCLOSURES AND NESTS 6 ft. X 6 ft, (0.25 acre pond) use standard construction plastic netting. Put 6-9 nests (12-15 diameter, 4 deep, ½ full with ¼- inch gravel). Introduce males 2 days before females, ratio of about 2 females to 1 male. Observe nests daily for eggs.
METHODS Remove nests from enclosure after eggs hatch, and place in same pond or in another fertilized pond. Larvae stay near bottom until dispersal, usually three days later. Add new nests and additional brood stock to enclosures if necessary. If plenty of fry are available remove brood stock and enclosure.
METHODS OR FEEDING? Fry eat zooplankton about 2 weeks (monitor zooplankton abundance), Start feeding prepared diet if zooplankton over grazing observed. Start feeding (salmon starter or equivalent) at least twice daily, fry stay close to shore in vegetation (hybrids remain in deeper water). In about three weeks bluegill will follow feeder around the pond. Continue feeding at least twice daily. Feed very fine feed for short time, change to a small crumble as soon as fish will eat it. Mix sizes of feed 50:50 until all fish are feeding on larger size. Continue feeding and harvest when water temperature drops near 50⁰F.
MASS SELECTION OR SELECTIVE BREEDING?? Select largest males and females from known year class. Remove sneakers, and satellites first year. Have enough brood fish to maintain genetic diversity. May use more than one line of brood fish for selection process. Continue process for 3 years.
MASS SELECTION RESULTS COMPARISON OF F1 VS. F3 Three different sires per brood per family Mated in laboratory P1 X P1 F2 X F2 vs. Rear in RAS (120 days) Target 75-100 g / fish Weight in Grams 100 80 60 40 20 0 93 F3 Comparison of F1 vs. F3 56 F1 Family
TANK STUDY FOOD CONVERSION (FEED FED/GAIN) Conversion(Food Fed/Gain) Conversion Ratio 2.0000 1.5000 1.0000 0.5000 0.0000 1.5346 1.2632 1.2464 1.3257 1.1519 1.2625 F3A F3B F3C F1A F1B F1C Family
POND GROW-OUT Each fish individually marked Individuals from each group stocked in each of four ponds Fed twice daily, floating trout feed in feeding rings Randomized block design (individuals within families are replicates). Fish harvested in October All fish weighed, measured and identified by PIT tag number
ENDING WEIGHT F3 VS. F1 (P < 0.0001) Number of Grams 400 300 200 100 0 Means of F1 vs. F3 Pond Grow-out 348 277 286 234 227 F3 F3 F1 F1 Target Family and Sex Weight
ADDITIONAL PROCESS Use same techniques with redear sunfish Select fast growing fish for future brood fish Use selection process. Final step spawn female redear X male bluegill in ponds use hybrid progeny for grow-out.
WHAT WE LEARNED Selecting the largest brood-fish: produces the largest progeny within a year-class. eliminates small males (sneakers & satellites). In three years size increased significantly Can reach target weights within 18 months if selective breeding techniques are used with indoor rearing.
RAS SYSTEMS Use KISS principle in all design, MURPHYS LAW Basic components of all RAS systems: Fish tanks Solids removal (filters, drums) Bio-filters (removes toxins, right size for the system) UV or O 3 disinfection and organic oxidation Aeration Water supply
SYSTEM S
MIXED BED REACTOR SIZE IT RIGHT FOR FEED AND CAPACITY Converts toxic ammonia to nontoxic nitrate Assume 2.5% of feed becomes TAN Rings provide ~240-350 ft 2 /ft 3 of media. 1 ft 3 converts 0.03 lbs TAN to Nitrate. Example 12 lbs of feed requires 10 ft 3 media or substrate for nitrifying bacteria. If fish are consuming 3.0% per day calculation is (12 lbs feed/0.03 = 400 lbs fish).
DENSITY, LOADING-WATER QUALITY Water quality is the basic essence of all fish rearing. Commercial kits easily measure ammonia, ph, oxygen, etc.
DENSITY AND LOADING OR HOW MANY FISH CAN I RAISE IN MY SPACE? Fish density depends on water quality. Loading (lbs./gal./min.) realistically predicts mass of fish that can be held or grown in a tank. Based on basic principles of system design, loading and bio-filter capacity to reduce ammonia. Aeration capacity and addition of new water are also involved in determining water quality, i.e. loading and density.
Our systems are designed to provide enough water flow to turn over (replace water) for each tank every 30 minutes with the addition of about 5% new water. SYSTEM CAPACITY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS USDA-CSREES Evans Allen Grant Dr. Mark Ellersieck, MU for statistical assistance. Lincoln University Personnel Russell Gerlach, Dr. Jim Wetzel, Cindy Borgwordt Leslie Hearne, Chris Scheppers, Adam Stamp Contact Information: Charles Hicks Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO 65043 Office: George Washington Carver Farm Telephone Number: 573-681-5540 E-mail: hicksc@lincolnu.edu