Most farmers are deceived to stock five to ten fish per square metre. Others even stock 20 and expect to have a massive harvest in tonnes, but this is wrong.
It is such farmers who harvest fish of 100g to 150g after eight months, yet the ideal harvest should be 0.5 to 1kg per square metre.
If your stocking density is two to three fish per square metre, you are assured of harvesting fish between 800g to 1.2kg for catfish and mirror carp and between 450g to500g for tilapia.
In such a pond, one harvests 3kg-5kg per square metre for catfish and mirror carp and 1.8kg to 2kg for tilapia.
In such, feeds are consumed three times in overstocked ponds than in well-stocked ponds, yet more yields are realised in less stocked ponds over the same period.
Proper pond stocking saves a farmer from feed wastage and ensures easy pond water quality management since there is no congestion.
Quality of the species is yet another issue to look at. If you are to grow tilapia, you should look for Tilapia Meltica that can weigh up to 3kg if fed well.
The Fisheries Research Institutes have all these varieties.
A standard pond that measures 40×20 feet should accommodate up to 40,000 fish at a ratio of 36,000 tilapia to 4,000 catfish.
The catfish is very important to help regulate the population of tilapia in the pond. Tilapia lay a lot of eggs, which can result in congestion if not regulated.
