Executive Summary & Key Technical Rules
- Maintain composite polyculture stocking ratio of 4:3:3 (Catla surface : Rohu column : Mrigal bottom).
- Stock healthy stunted yearlings (> 100g) rather than small fry to achieve 1.5 kg harvest size in 8 months.
- Transition to floating extruded pellets to ensure 100% feed visibility and prevent bottom water pollution.
- Apply Agricultural Lime @ 200 kg/acre annually to neutralize organic benthic acidity.
1. Polyculture Niche Optimization (IMC 4:3:3 Ratio)
Indian Major Carps (IMC) polyculture maximizes pond biological yield by utilizing all ecological strata of the freshwater column: Catla grazes on surface zooplankton, Rohu feeds on column phytoplankton, and Mrigal grazes on benthic detritus.
Stock 3,500 to 4,500 yearlings per acre in the ratio of 40% Catla, 30% Rohu, and 30% Mrigal for balanced ecological grazing.
2. Pond Preparation, Liming & Manuring
Broadcast Agricultural Lime (CaCO3) @ 200 kg/acre. Apply fermented raw cow dung slurry (1,000 kg/acre) combined with Single Super Phosphate (SSP @ 25 kg/acre) to cultivate rich natural green phytoplankton blooms.
3. Monosex Tilapia High-Density System
Stock only 100% Monosex (All-Male) GIFT Tilapia at 8,000 to 12,000 fingerlings per acre. All-male populations prevent breeding and achieve 600g table size within 5 months.
4. Floating Pellet Feeding & FCR Management
Use 28% to 32% protein floating extruded pellets. Feed twice daily at 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM based on 2.5% to 3.5% body weight, keeping FCR between 1.25 and 1.45.
5. Parasite Control (Argulus & Gill Flukes)
Argulus (fish lice) and Dactylogyrus gill flukes cause severe skin lesions and secondary fungal rot. Treat with approved antiparasitic compounds (Emamectin benzoate @ 50 mg/kg biomass) under veterinary guidance.
Summary Standard Operational Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should Tilapia seed always be monosex all-male?
Female Tilapia breed continuously in ponds, causing overcrowding and stunted fish. All-male populations convert all feed energy into fast muscle growth.