How to start a carp pond business. Carp breeding in ponds and pools

Carp appeared in Asia, first of all in China, and was used as food as early as 1000 BC. From China, he came to Japan, and later to Europe, both as an ornamental fish and as food.

Carp breeding occupies an important place in fish farming. Carp grows quickly if the temperature in the reservoir is favorable, and the fish receives the necessary amount of food. Carps take root well in warm-water ponds, are not demanding on water quality and easily tolerate short-term periods with some oxygen deficiency. In winter, carps fall into a state similar to hibernation, and only begin to worry when there is a strong lack of oxygen - they can die with a long lack of it.

In economic terms, carp breeding is profitable due to its rapid growth and low demands on living conditions. The commodity weight reaches 1.5 - 2.0 kg at the age of two. It grows to a mass of 20 kg at the age of 15-20 years. Carps live for a long time (according to some sources, more than 200 years). They can reach considerable sizes and weights. The natural productivity of carp in ponds is up to 2 kg/ha. Carp has good fleshiness, high quality meat. It is bred both naturally and artificially. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years. Fertility up to 1.5 million eggs.

Carp inhabits the waters of the basins of the Mediterranean, Black, Azov, Caspian and Aral Seas. It is found in the rivers Danube, Dnieper, Don, Kuban, Ural, Kura and Volga. Distributed in the basins of the Amur and some rivers in China. The carp has a strong, long, not very high body, thickened in the front and covered with large scales. In the elongated dorsal fin, all rays are soft, except for the anterior, serrated, bony ray. Carp has three-row pharyngeal teeth with a well-developed chewing plate.

Carp are extremely hardy. It withstands well in poorly oxygenated water. In the cold of winter, when rivers and lakes are covered with thick ice, carp falls into a real hibernation. Having settled in the recesses, on the pits, he "dresses" in a kind of "fur coat" from a thick layer of mucus. All winter carps are in a daze. Carps do not feed in winter. The number of respiratory movements of the gill covers decreases from 40-45 to 3-4. Slows down, and then completely stops digestion, the metabolism is greatly reduced.

Carp breeding at home

Carps occupy a leading position in freshwater aquaculture in terms of the number of fish produced. Ponds, fish farms and other water bodies, including rice paddies, are used for carp breeding. The following breeds are bred: scaly carp, mirror carp (with scales scattered over the body), linear carp (with scales located along the lateral line), naked carp (without scales), Ukrainian framed carp and Ukrainian scaly carp. Carp can be cultivated both separately in monoculture and together with related species (silver carp, silver carp, grass carp, tench) and predators (catfish, zander and pike). Depending on the type of food and the application of ichthyological measures, there are three breeding systems for carp: - extensive, semi-intensive (or semi-extensive), intensive

Extensive carp breeding system

The extensive system involves breeding carp on the basis of natural food (zooplankton and bottom fauna). The advantage of this system is low production costs. The disadvantage is a slight increase per unit area (from 300 to 700 kg), which leads to a constant reduction in the production of carp using this system.

Semi-intensive carp breeding system

The semi-intensive system is based on the provision of most of the protein components in carp feeds from natural feeds, the development of which is stimulated by various agrotechnical measures, while the energy requirement is largely met by carbohydrate supplements to the feeds (wheat, barley, corn, etc.). .). The productivity achieved with the use of carbohydrate additives varies from 700 to 1400 kg/ha. The advantage of this system is, first of all, the best use of available water areas. The disadvantage of this system is evidenced by the fact that during periods of optimal temperature conditions (June - the first half of October) in the feed for carp growth (natural feed and carbohydrate supplements to feed) there is not enough protein due to the natural depression of natural feed. The best way to solve this problem is to feed carp with complex feeds (mixed feeds).

Intensive carp breeding system

In the intensive system, the main emphasis is placed on complex feeds (compound feeds) with a higher protein content (from 30% to 40% of proteins). In addition to the requirements for complex feeds, a high stocking density also means additional aeration of the water in the fish pond or ensuring the flow of water through the pond. Productivity in earthen objects, provided by this method of breeding, ranges from 3 to 20 or more tons per hectare of water surface. The advantage of such production is the maximum use of the available area for fish breeding and high productivity per unit surface. The disadvantage is a greater risk of spreading diseases, as well as increased contamination of the water in the pond, and, as a result, the water in the receiver.

A special type of intensive production is the carp breeding system in cage complexes (cage type) . Such a system of breeding provides a low start-up investment for the manufacture of cages, a small number of workers, a high productivity of fish per unit of volume and profitable production. The disadvantage is the easy spread of diseases and increased pollution (which can be eliminated by embedding a protective system) of the aquatic ecosystem in which the cage complex is installed.

And at the end of the article, we invite you to watch a video about catching carp, which you can catch in your pond, enjoy watching!

Catching Carp with a Float Rod.

We hope breeding carp at home will bring you great benefits.

On the shelves of fish stores, trout is much more expensive than carp. However, it is much more capricious and demanding on growing conditions. Easier to grow carp. This fish is unpretentious, tenacious, it will suit most reservoirs. In order to grow carp, you do not need to graduate from the academy, just read textbooks and articles.

The choice of carp for a small business is obvious:

• Carp is able to survive in the most severe conditions. In winter, in severe cold, this fish is able to survive simply by hibernating.
• Differs in fast growth. After two years, you can get a herd for sale. Weight can be 1.4 - 2 kg.
• Carp is unpretentious in food. It feeds on mollusks, larvae and seeds of plants.

climate for fish

The most important factors for fish growth are water temperature and oxygen content. Comfortable temperature for carp is about 22-26 degrees. The depth of the pond should not be large - 1.4-1.9 meters. The location of the reservoir is also important. A good option is if some part of the pond is in the shade. If the weather is too hot, the fish will have somewhere to hide in cooler water. Carp is not so demanding on water quality, it is important to prevent pollution of the reservoir with manure, organics and oil products.

Ponds for carp breeding can be atmospheric filling and with closed water supply. The location of the reservoir in the open air has its advantages. The forage base develops faster, the water warms up in warm weather in a natural way. Minimal human intervention makes the habitat for fish more familiar. However, despite the minimal cost of such a reservoir, it requires constant monitoring of water quality. Harmful atmospheric impurities entering the pond with precipitation can have a very negative effect on the growth of fish.

A pond with a closed water supply requires financial investments. It is necessary to install filters, pumps, an ultraviolet sterilizer. In addition, you need a small fountain or waterfall to aerate the water. But the health and safety of fish in such a pond is guaranteed.

Enhanced nutrition

Approximately 60% of all financial costs for cultivation are for feed. Of course, you can just put the fish in the pond and wait for it to grow, eating natural food. However, this is a very long process and has nothing to do with business.

For good, fast growth, feeds with a high protein and protein content are needed. Such feed is more expensive than conventional compound feed, but the result is much better - the fish grows faster. It is important to remember that these feeds can not be given all year round. The main food of carp is natural zooplankton. The rapid growth and reproduction of this food base is observed from the beginning of summer until mid-August. During this period, there is no need for top dressing.

Fight for health

The main enemy of the fish farmer is fish diseases. The reasons for their occurrence are different. Some of them:

• malnutrition;
• violation of the regime of detention (for example, temperature);
• overestimated number of individuals per unit area;
• the introduction of pathogens during the resettlement of fish from other water bodies.

Fish diseases can cause irreparable harm to the entire population. If you do not know how to detect the appearance of the disease in time and do not take urgent measures, you can lose the entire herd.

Carrying out preventive sanitary measures, as well as monitoring water quality, should be the main points of carp care. It is recommended to make control capture and inspection every 10 days. Depending on the condition, therapeutic measures are carried out. It is also allowed to add various additives to the feed that increase immunity.

Size matters

Large fish is always in high demand among buyers. The ideal weight of a carp is 1.3-1.6 kg. To achieve this weight, it is necessary to grow fish for three years. It is optimal to finish growing in the fall, which is why this time of the year this fish appears on the shelves. The abundance of fish leads to a drop in prices and the business may be on the verge of profitability.

In this situation, it is advisable to overexpose a little more carp, at least in the New Year, when the price stabilizes, or usually rises.

Fish economy

One of the disadvantages of fisheries is a rather long payback period. But there is still an opportunity to accelerate payback. One of the options is the purchase of two-year-old fish, weighing up to 200 grams. The cost of such planting material is naturally more expensive, but in just a season, carp can be fattened to a marketable size.

An important point in organizing a carp growing business should be its versatility. The organization and policy of trade in chain stores and supermarkets is such that they do not really want to deal with live fish, due to the complexity of keeping it on the counter. For this you need at least an aquarium. They are not cheap and trade networks do not want to mess with them, clean and change the water. Based on the foregoing, the business may be at risk if it is aimed only at the fish trade.

The way out of this situation can be the organization of paid fishing. The big plus here is that you can sell fish directly from the water. Let at a price less than in the store, but there is no need to spend money on transport. Depending on the species composition of the reservoir, the price of fishing can reach 1500 rubles.

The conclusions are obvious - there is no need to count on stable sales through retail outlets, the business must be built on several ways to sell fish.

Video: breeding carp in a pond in the country. Carp pond

Carp breeding at home is not a myth, but a reality

What is myth or reality? What are the features of breeding carp at home?

These are perhaps the two main questions that I will try to answer in this article.

The first question - is it possible to breed carp at home?

I answer - you can. But you need to decide what end result you want to get.

If you want to grow underyearlings (a fish of 20-30 grams at the end of the first year of carp breeding at home), then for this you will need a pond of a relatively small area and depth.

If your goal is to get marketable fish weighing 700-800 grams, then the size of the pond and the depth should be larger.

If you have the opportunity to ensure a comfortable wintering of carp fry, then it is possible with a two-year turnover (in the first year of breeding, fingerlings are obtained, at the end of the second year of commercial carp).

If it is impossible to create conditions for a normal wintering of carp, then the turnover should be one-year.

You release carp larvae into the pond and at the end of the season you get underyearlings. Or at the beginning of the season you launch yearlings, and at the end of the season you get commercial two-year-olds.

If your goal is to diversify the landscape of your backyard, then KOI carp, which has a variety of colors, is most suitable for you. Today there are more than 70 species of this fish.

Success depends on the quality of the water in the pond.

The main indicator of quality is the amount of oxygen dissolved in water, which the carp breathes. Carp fish, like most other fish, cannot breathe clean atmospheric air.

The normal oxygen content is considered to be 7-8 mg/l, although the carp tolerates a short-term decrease in oxygen to 3-4 mg/l.

A further decrease in the level of oxygen leads to his death from suffocation.

The temperature of the water in the pond is also important for the successful breeding and rearing of carp at home. Appetite, and hence the growth of carp during its maturation, depends on it.

The most favorable temperature for carp is the water temperature in the pond at 18-20 degrees Celsius in spring and 22-29 degrees in summer.

At a temperature of 17-20 degrees, the carp spawns, and at a temperature of 22-29 degrees, it uses the food most fully and grows faster.

Types of ponds for breeding and growing carp at home.

Depending on their shape, ponds are divided into regular (regular shape) and landscape (arbitrary shape).

If the pond is supposed to be placed near buildings, then a regular style is usually chosen. Moreover, the shape of the pond can have a profile of any geometric figure (rectangle, square, circle).

The landscape style is used when, due to the difficult terrain, it is impossible to build a pond of the correct shape.

As a rule, regular-shaped ponds are made elevated (by filling the banks), and ponds of arbitrary shape are deepened.

When breeding carp at home, it should be taken into account that in elevated ponds, compared to deepened ponds, there are sharper temperature fluctuations, which negatively affects the development of aquatic plants and fish.

Water supply of ponds for breeding carp at home.

It usually occurs in ponds of artificial origin, which are filled with spring melt water, precipitation, as well as from local sources (rivers, streams, springs, artesian wells). Depending on this, they can be divided into several groups:

Ponds with atmospheric filling.

Such ponds are the least expensive. Their depth is on average 1-1.8 m. In summer, the water in them warms up well. This contributes to the rapid development of aquatic vegetation and microorganisms, which are the main food for carp when breeding it at home.

Ponds with atmospheric filling are the most convenient for breeding carp at home, as a good natural food base contributes to its rapid growth.

Nevertheless, for all its attractiveness in terms of the cost of building such a pond, one must remember about the emissions of acids and other harmful toxic substances into the atmosphere as a result of human activities.

Therefore, in a pond with atmospheric filling, constant monitoring of water quality is required.

Ponds with stream or river filling.

Such ponds are interesting, first of all, because they have a very high oxygen content in the water. The ponds have two connecting channels - inlet and outlet, through which flowing water is provided.

Ponds with spring water supply.

Breeding carp at home in a spring-filled pond.

Most of all, they are adapted for breeding carp at home from the point of view of the ecology of the reservoir.

The water in such ponds has a very high oxygen content and practically does not contain harmful impurities. This makes it possible to breed here not only carp, but also other types of fish that are more demanding on water quality.

However, in ponds with spring water supply, where the water is constantly changing, zooplankton, which is a natural food for carp.

Therefore, pits are dug near the main pond in which daphnia is grown. These pits are connected to the pond by shallow ditches or asbestos pipes. Through them, daphnia enter the pond. The number and size of the holes depend on the area of ​​the pond, water exchange and fish stocking density.

For breeding carp at home in a pond with an area of ​​50 sq. m. with spring water exchange, with a complete change of water within 24 hours and a density of carp planting - 5-6 pcs. per 1 sq. m, one daphnia pit measuring 3x2 m with a depth of 0.5 m is enough.

Ponds with closed water supply.

Increasingly used for breeding carp at home.

In such ponds, the bed is lined with plastic wrap, after which the pond is filled with water. Pond plants are planted, the main technical equipment (pump, filters and ultraviolet sterilizer) is installed.

In addition to the main one, additional equipment (a fountain or an artificial waterfall) is also installed, which provides good aeration (saturation of water with oxygen).

Carps are populated in such a pond only after the biological balance is established in the pond.

For breeding in ponds with a closed water supply of decorative carp KOI, mini-ponds in a solid plastic frame are often used. The main advantage of such ponds is that they can be installed not only in the backyard, but also in residential areas, where it will feel good all year round.

Instability in the country's economy makes people look for ways to earn money. Many start doing business, for example, growing various livestock - broiler chickens, turkeys, crayfish, fish, and so on. A good start for organizing your small fish farm is carp breeding at home as a business. This occupation is interesting, with a perspective on the future, profitable and cost-effective, does not require complex technologies.

Carp fish has tasty meat with useful properties, vitamins, microelements important for human health. Fishing is a great soothing hobby that you can also indulge in with your own fish pond, and even use this hobby as a side business.

Carp fish is unpretentious and has increased survivability compared to other types of fish, so it ranks first in growing it at home. In nature, fish can live up to about 30 years. Carp is omnivorous and very common in nature, it has an elongated, low, strong body, with a slight thickening in front, three-row teeth and a well-developed chewing function. The carp family includes, in fact, carp, crucian carp, silver carp, bream, carp. For business, mainly carp and crucian carp are grown.

Carp is divided into such subspecies:

Common carp (scaly) - the body of such a carp is covered with golden scales. This species is most often bred in the household due to its unpretentiousness, excellent growth and optimal absorption of natural food;

Mirror carp - it is characterized by uneven coverage of the body with scales. Mirror carp is subdivided into framed and linear, the difference between them in the arrangement of scales on the body. The mirror carp is whimsical in food, in unfavorable conditions (cold water) it does not gain weight, but in optimal conditions it grows better than all other carp species. This species is also used for cultivation in artificial conditions;

Carp is naked (leathery) - there are practically no scales on its body. Not suitable for cultivation for sale, because it is very sensitive, does not grow well, thermophilic, reacts negatively to the oxygen content in the water;

Koi carp is a decorative type of carp, on its body there are bright red, orange, black spots in different combinations.

Benefits of growing carp at home

Consider a few positive factors of carp habitat in ponds:

Carp fish are unpretentious, survive in the most adverse conditions, but still love the heat. In winter, the fish falls asleep, slowing down the vital processes of its body. At this time, the fish is at the bottom of the pond, buried in the silt. For home carp cultivation, an artificial pond should be equipped half in the shade and half on the sunny side. In summer, when the heat is strong, the fish will be able to hide in the shade of the reservoir. Breeding carp in artificial reservoirs does not involve digging a deep reservoir, a pit one and a half meters deep is quite suitable, but still, the deeper, the better for the fish. The water in the reservoir should be regularly changed to clean, so you should consider a system for cleaning and replacing water using pipelines;

If we compare carp with other types of fish, then it grows faster. In a couple of years, the herd will acquire a marketable appearance. Fish from 1 to 2 kg are caught for sale, and individuals with such a weight are considered quite large specimens;

The ability to reproduce in carp is developed in the period from three to five years. It usually spawns for 30 days. The amount of eggs produced by females depends on the age of the fish. The warmer the water in the pond, the faster the incubation period;

Carp feeds on larvae, mollusks, seeds of plants. In home fisheries, carp need to be fed;

Business plan development

Financially, this type of business is profitable due to high survivability, rapid growth and unpretentiousness in keeping carp. After 2 years, the fish already has a marketable appearance, and after 20 years it can reach 25 kg, although up to this age fish are not kept in fisheries. Carp meat is fleshy, high quality.

In the very first season of growing carp at home, it is realistic to get up to 300% of the proceeds and this at minimal cost. Naturally, the amount of profit depends on the size of the pool or reservoir equipped on the site, as well as on the quality of the fry. But fry can be bred in an aquarium.

While the carp is growing, you should think about its further implementation. It is necessary during this time to have time to conclude contracts with buyers at a bargain price. Carp is popular with the population, they are willing to buy it.

In short, for a business, it is necessary to equip a pond, or purchase a pool. Then launch a fry or adult fish there and start growing it. All the subtleties of carp breeding must be studied by reading special literature.

Creating a fish farm at home

In order to grow carp, you need a pond. Both a natural reservoir and an artificial one will do. The optimal variant of the depth and area of ​​the reservoir is 2 meters and 60 m3, respectively. The most convenient option would be to arrange an artificial pond in your own yard or purchase an airtight pool, and you also need to consider periodic water purification. Before launching the fish into the pond, the water in it should warm up well during the day. The launch of fish into the reservoir is carried out in March, and already in November, with a favorable outcome, the carp gains weight up to 1.5 kg.

Fish feeding

They feed carp at the same time and in the same place - in the morning and in the evening. Such a feeding regime develops a habit in the carp and already at the appointed hour he himself comes to the feeding place in order to eat. Also, this method of feeding is very helpful in catching, when necessary, large individuals of fish. As food for carp, plant foods, worms and compound feed are suitable. In order for the fish to be environmentally friendly, no chemical additives should be used.

At the optimum water temperature in the reservoir (30ºС) and in the presence of a sufficient amount of food, the carp grows well and gains weight. The fish reacts normally to the composition of the water; they easily tolerate a short period of low oxygen saturation of the water. In winter, the carp forms mucus on the surface of the body and hibernates at the bottom of the reservoir in a layer of silt. So that in winter the carp does not suffocate in the water on the surface of the pond, you need to drill holes if the pond is covered with ice and then carefully monitor that they are always open and not covered with a crust of ice. In winter, carp are not fed, and they do not eat, because they sleep. Carp in this state slows down breathing and metabolism.

Carp are bred by intensive, extensive and semi-intensive methods. They differ in the composition of the feed.

The extensive method of growing carp is based on feeding them with natural, natural food. Under natural conditions, cyprinids feed on the so-called biomass located in a reservoir, for example:

Zooplankton - organisms that live in water - cyclops, rotifers, daphnia;

Zoobenthos - organisms that live in the thickness of the soil of a reservoir: worms, larvae, mollusks;

Fauna living on plants under water: bloodworm, sponge, molluscs;

Detritus - the remains of decomposition of vertebrates and invertebrates;

Remains of decomposed plants;

When using this method of growing carp, they do not use additional feeding, and the carp eats only the food that is in the pond. This method has an advantage - no large investments are required, disadvantages - the fish does not gain weight well.

The semi-intensive method involves feeding cyprinids with the addition of proteins and carbohydrates. For top dressing, carbohydrate feeds such as corn, wheat, barley are used. Protein is given in the form of maggots, which are bred specifically for feeding fish. The advantage of the semi-intensive method lies in the small capital investment in the business, as well as a more complete use of the reservoir. The disadvantage of this method is that protein feeding depends on the season and water temperature, therefore, in unfavorable periods, the weight gain of the fish decreases. This growing method is suitable for carp breeding at home.

The intensive method of breeding carp consists in feeding the fish only with balanced protein feeds. Easily digestible food reduces the production of faeces in fish, so thanks to this method of rearing carp, the pond does not need to be cleaned and changed so regularly. Important advantages of this method are the maximum use of the pool area, since in this case the fish are populated quite densely, high body weight gain, high-quality meat. Disadvantages - additional water aeration is required, due to the high density of carp planting, as well as the risk of developing fish diseases.

The intensive method of breeding carp at home is the most popular. Experienced farmers grow up to 20 tons of fish from 1 hectare of water area, this is a great option to save resources. The most unpleasant moment of such cultivation of fish is the incidence of the herd. This happens just because the fish is planted tightly in the pond. The water in such reservoirs becomes clogged very quickly, so it is necessary to provide a high-quality pond cleaning system. In artificial reservoirs or pools, this method of carp breeding implies a high feed consumption, since the fish do not have access to natural food, this disadvantage increases the cost of production.

Features of breeding carp in the pool

Breeding carp in the pool has a number of advantages. The pool can be placed where it is needed and convenient, for example, in a greenhouse, where you can combine the cultivation of fish and vegetables. In the pool, it is easier to maintain the desired water temperature, water exchange intensity, oxygen requirements and sanitary hygiene of the tank.

For fish breeding, fiberglass pools of all sizes and shapes are produced. Now vertical pools, the so-called silos, are popular. The renewal of water in them occurs non-standardly - from below there is a supply, and from above it leaves. This type of pool does not require a large area of ​​land, and care for it is elementary, great for a small area.

You can equip the pool yourself, lay out the walls of brick, tile, or you can simply pour concrete using wooden formwork. You can also use other materials for construction - plastic, wood, cement mortar, concrete slabs. The main thing in such pools is tightness, it can be provided with a dense film, which is used to create ponds in landscape design, as well as a water drain system and oxygen supply. To drain the water in the wall of the pool, you need to provide a hole that should be closed with a net so that the fish do not leave. In natural ponds, water is saturated with oxygen due to the constant movement of the water flow, and thanks to plants and algae that release oxygen. This is not the case in artificial pools, so you need to install an oxygen supply system, the so-called aerators.

The depth of the pool should be from 1.5 to 2 meters, if you make it deeper, the water simply will not have time to warm up to a temperature of 25-26 ºС. For optimal fish breeding in the pool, regular water exchange must constantly occur. This is necessary in order to avoid the disease of the herd, since with a dense planting of fish, the water is very quickly contaminated with feces. On industrial fish farms, the stocking density of fish reaches 400 carp per square meter. However, at home it is difficult to comply with all the requirements of a particular technology for growing fish, so you should not fill the pool so densely with carp. After the pool is filled with water, it is worth keeping it empty for several days to ensure bacteriological balance. It will be useful to pour a couple of buckets from a natural pond into the pool. The population density of carp in home pools should be kept up to 200 heads of one-year-olds per 1 m3. Having equipped the pool under the roof, you can grow not only carps, but also sturgeon, trout and other elite varieties of fish.

Growing carp in a natural pond

Breeding carp in a pond in a country house means creating such a pond on your own or renting a ready-made one. A natural pond is the most favorable place for carp breeding, but before populating it with fish, it is necessary to clean the bottom of it well from silt and debris. Ease of care for a pond is easier the larger it is. You can start populating the reservoir in the spring, when the water has already warmed up well to a temperature of 20 ºС. The population of the pond depends on its nutrient medium. The optimal population density would be about 500 heads per hectare of pond area.

This amount of fish will be able to safely eat natural food. If it is planned to feed carp, then it is possible to populate the reservoir more densely up to 1500 heads per 1 ha of the reservoir. With an intensive method of growing carp (when fed only with compound feed) in a natural pond, the population density of fish can be up to 3000 individuals per 1 ha of a reservoir. At the end of each season, it will be possible to sum up if the carp's body weight gain is optimal, therefore, the stocking density is normal, but if the fish grows poorly, the population density of the reservoir should be reduced.

Carp breeding in cages

Another way to grow carp is to breed it in specialized cages. Cage-bags are made from a rectangular nylon mesh, which must be attached to a floating base. The size of such grids can be approximately 6 × 4 × 2.5 meters. Fry are launched into cages and lowered into a pond, the population density of fry per cage is up to 200 pieces per 1 square meter. It is also necessary to ensure the supply of oxygen and lighting at night. Lighting is necessary to attract natural food for fry - insects.

In general, the fishing business is quite profitable and not troublesome. The costs required to build a farm are not large, they mainly go to the construction of a reservoir, and if you use a natural reservoir for carp breeding, you will only need to spend money on cleaning it. It will also be necessary to buy fry for breeding herds and food. In the future, the costs will go to the purchase of food and fry. One carp requires food up to 5% of its weight. Monthly feed costs can range from 6,000 rubles. The cost of fry is about 500 rubles per 100 pieces. The price of 1 kg of carp varies from 200 to 500 rubles depending on the region. If you sell up to 20 pieces of carp daily, you can earn up to 10,000 rubles a day - the profit is pretty good, therefore, breeding carp at home as a business is quite profitable.

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If you have a small reservoir in your backyard, then why not start breeding carps in it. Among the "pluses" of this idea, experts note nutritional value, rapid growth and undemanding fish to water quality. In addition, its meat is almost completely absorbed in the human body. What the fish farmer should know, how to equip a pond in the country and what are the pitfalls in carp breeding - you will learn about all this from this article.

Description of freshwater fish

Ichthyologists characterize carp (Cyprinus carpio) as a widespread freshwater fish, which is a representative of the Cyprinidae genus.

Today, it is known in many parts of the world, although Asian reservoirs are considered to be native to it. The fish successfully naturalized and became one of the most popular in the industrial group of fish farms in the temperate zone.

Did you know? The largest carp caught the bait of the German and British fishermen. Their catch, respectively, weighed 38 kg and 40 kg. But in the world, the Japanese koi fish with the official nickname "big girl" is considered a record carp. The Guinness Book of Records recorded her weight - 41 kg and age - 17 years.

Naturalized individuals outwardly differ from savages. That is why, according to experts, in some regions of Ukraine, the name “carp”, characteristic of Russian traditions, has taken root, which refers to semi-wild forms of carp.

Within the aquaculture of our country, there are two breeds: Ukrainian scaly and Ukrainian framed. Each of them has its own subtypes.

When growing carp in pools, mirror species are most often practiced, which have long gained popularity among fishermen.

Their representatives have a thick body with a wide back, up to 1 m long. The weight of adults can be in the range of 35-120 kg.

But species heavier than 50 kg are not found in our latitudes. Such giants can only be caught in the waters of Southeast Asia.

A specific sign of carps are swimmers, which can be light brown, bright red and even black in color. The scales on the fish come in different sizes, on some varieties it may be completely absent.

Did you know?Carps live until they are caught by any fisherman. By their death they die at the age of 50.

The peculiarity of this fish lies in precocity and fertility. Carps reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years of age. Under conditions of warm water, the temperature of which is not lower than 17 degrees, they lay more than 800 eggs.

Where to get fry for breeding

For beginners, growing carp at home always begins with the acquisition of fry. It is advisable to make a purchase at fish farms of a narrow specialization.

Choose the one that has been working for a long time and has proven itself well in the market. Find out about the license for this type of activity and ask as much as possible about the fry, what they are like, how often and what they get sick with, etc.

Their survival in a new place depends on these seemingly insignificant nuances. Before buying, study the conditions in which the product is contained.

Many novice fish farmers mistakenly think that it is much easier to purchase unfertilized eggs, build a Weiss apparatus at home and grow fry yourself.

Of course, this method is cheaper, but without special experience and knowledge, it is almost impossible to obtain a high-quality underyearling adapted for wintering.
Therefore, such a decision will cost you more, because sooner or later you will still have to buy fertilized material from the fish farm.

Important! Experienced fish farmers advise buying one-year-old fingerlings that have already wintered.

How to breed carps

When you have already looked after a farm with an impeccable reputation and have decided where you will buy fry, you can start preparing a home for fish. We will figure out how to breed carp in a pond and pool.

In the pond

If you plan to grow fish in an old reservoir that was already in, it will be enough just to clean it up and take care of the plant food for the new settlers.

But with the construction of a new pond, you should not rush. The process of its preparation will take you about a year. To begin with, you will need to make a recess from 1 to 2 m high, 3 x 3 m in size.

Then strengthen its banks with grass. During precipitation, its roots will not allow the soil to slide to the bottom. After that, it is necessary to sow the pit of the reservoir with the necessary vegetation, which will serve as food for the fish.

When the recess is filled with water, and a soil suspension appears below, you can start breeding zooplankton. Some owners share their experience of compacting the bottom of the pond. According to them, a layer of sand should be poured onto the compacted soil and poured with concrete on top.

When the solution dries, a rubber film is laid on it and only after everything is poured with water. Remember that carps are considered heat-loving fish, so it is highly undesirable to launch them into a cold body of water.

Let the water settle and warm up to 24-26 degrees. To speed up the process of formation of the necessary microflora, throw a bunch of fresh water into the pond or pour a couple of buckets of water from a wild pond.

It is best to plan a carp breeding pond in the far corner of the garden, away from lowlands, roads and noisy production.

It is very important that the water surface is well lit. This will create favorable conditions for residents to develop and grow. If the water is cold or too hot, the fish will refuse food and die.

Important! Never allow a waterfowl, especially a migratory one, to land on a pond. This is the main source of harmful microbes for your fish.

In a swimming pool

As in the previous option, the size of the reservoir should be at least 1 m deep and from 15 to 150 cubic meters in area. m.
It does not matter what the pool is made of - the fish will take root well in wooden, ceramic, concrete and even plastic structures of any shape.

But in this case, there is an urgent need to complete the reservoir with a compressor, a UV sterilizer, an aerator, special filters and a drain system.

Despite these minor troubles, many fish farmers prefer pools. This is due to the simplified regulation of temperature and water exchange, which is vital for carps.

Such structures are much easier to clean and maintain the necessary level of oxygen in them.

Important! It is better to release fry into a new reservoir in March and April.

Recently, silo pools have appeared on sale, the essence of which is to supply water - it comes from below and flows down along the perimeter of the tank as it is filled. The only "minus" of these structures is their small size.
Pools can be stocked only when the necessary microflora is formed in them. After the inhabitants appear in the reservoir, do not forget to periodically enrich the water with oxygen, pump it up and drain it.

What to feed

If carps receive a balanced and nutritious diet, then in 9 months it is quite possible to grow a half-kilogram fish from a tiny egg. Moreover, if the fish farmer knows how to feed the carp, then it is easy to achieve such a result at home.

Experts note that the fry prefers to eat ciliates, small crustaceans, larvae, worms, and mollusks. Adults are omnivores.

Important!A big threat to carp is rotan or, as it is also called, "southern piranha". Its carriers are migratory, which spread small eggs on their paws. To clear the reservoir of misfortune, you will need to completely drain the water and manually collect unwanted guests. There is no other salvation.

Experienced fish farmers distinguish several carp feeding technologies:

1. Extensive. It consists in feeding fish exclusively with zooplankton and grass. The advantages of the method are in low production costs, and the disadvantages are in a small increase in livestock (from 300 to 650 kg per unit area).
2. Semi-intensive. It is based on equal amounts of zoological and agrotechnical feeds (barley, wheat, oats). Due to bait, fish farmers manage to achieve greater productivity (from 700 to 1500 kg). But during the hot period, approximately from June to September, there is not enough protein in the feed, which affects the productivity of the backwater. That is why experts advise feeding omnivorous carps with compound feed.
3. Intensive. In this technology, the main focus is on compound feed, which contains at least 40 percent of protein. This feeding option is considered the most productive (3-20 tons). It is used in large fish farms specializing in marketable fish. With the maximum use of the reservoir, which is a very positive side of the technology, there is water pollution and the risk of infecting fish with pathogens.

Did you know?Carp meat is 17% protein and 11% fat.

Fish are fed twice a day in a specially designated place. For these purposes, it is necessary to acquire a special tray that is lowered into the water. Do not pour too much food, because in excess it only pollutes the water. A single feed rate is calculated within 3% of the weight of the fish.

What to do in winter

With a decrease in the temperature regime, carps stop the intensity of their nutrition and, accordingly, development. For the winter they go into hibernation.

In natural reservoirs, the fish winters well, and in domestic small and shallow ponds it can die. This is due to a lack of oxygen.

There are several ways to correct the situation. The first is in a specially equipped reservoir (a hydraulic device is installed in it for aeration and maintaining the temperature at 0 degrees). Another wintering option involves transplanting the backwater into a large indoor aquarium.

Such carps can be returned to their former dwelling only when the water in the garden pond warms up well, and those specimens that wintered in a special pond can be released immediately after the snow melts.