THEORETICAL BASES OF NATURAL SCIENCE

EDUCATION II

ONLINE ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: PISCICULTURE

Submitted By: JAYALEKSHMI. V.G

Natural Science
` KUCTE Anchal
 INTRODUCTION

Pisciculture is defined as the method for culture and rearing of fish and
shell fish. the word pisciculture is devide from the Latin word ‘piscics’ which
means “fish’. Pisciculture is now carried out in freshwater ponds. Paddy fileds,
lakes and even in artificial tanks and reservoirs. The species of fish which can be
kept successfully in captivity throught out their lives from egg to adult is
exceedingly limited in number. Pisciculture providing large scale employment
opportunities, improving rural economy and protein rich food .
India has a vast area of natural and artificial water bodies as paddy fields,
lakes, ponds river, swamps, irrigation channels and reservoirs. Most of these
holdings water throughout the year or for grater part of the year, are suitable fo r
fish culture. The advisory board of the Indian council of agriculture research
commenced sponsoring may culture schemes, for promoting fish culture methods.
Today in many states of India especially West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and
Kerala pisciculture is carried out on commercial scales.

PISCICULTURE
Pisciculture is a method for culture and rearing of fish and shell fish.
Consequently there are two main types of pisciculture to be distinguished:
1) The rearing in confinement of young fishes to an edible stage and
2) The stocking of natural waters with eggs from captured breeders.
Fish farming is the principal form of agriculture, while other methods may fall
under mariculture. Fish farming involves raising fish commercially in tanks or
enclosures usually for food. A facility that releases juvenile fish into the wild for
recreational fishing or to supplement a species natural members is generally
referred to as fish hatchery.
 IMPORTANCE OF PISCICULTURE
The main importance in pisciculture are;
1. Pisciculture has a vital role in augmenting food production as the world
demand for fish products is increasing steadily .
2. It helps to utilize the vast areas like paddy fields can be used for culturing
of fishes.
3. Culture of selected varieties of fish will help in a good yield of commercial
forms.
4. Artificial feed enhances the growth ratio of fishes and therefore helps in
early harvest.
Pisiculture generate employment for many people especially in the rural areas of

developing countries

CHARACTERISTICS OF PISCICULTURE FARMS

Certain natural amenities are required in selecting a site for pisciculture. They are:

1. Water is an essential medium for the culture of fish,

2. The depth of the pond has an important bearing on the quality of water. In

shallow ponds, sunlight penetrates up bottom thus faciliting increased

productivity, hence depths greater than five meters are rare in fish ponds.

3. Temperature is another important physical factor of the water. As fishes are

cold blooded, their activity depends on the temperature of the environment.

All activities in fishes slow down with fall in temperature: so growth of the

fish thus depends much on the temperature.

4. The chemical conditions of water such as dissolved gases, PH, inorganic

compounds etc. are also very important in the productivity of a pond.

 Alkaline or natural water is more productive than acid water. (PH between

6.5 to 9)

5. Plants are essential for a fish farm, but is necessary to check their growth

and speeding beyond a limit.

6. Care should be taken against carnivorous fishes and water beetles in fish

farms.

7. Water pollution should be controlled.

COMMON FISHES USED FOR CULTURE IN KERALA.

Kerala has a vast area of water bodies, as ponds, rivers, paddy fields etc.

Today in many parts of kerala fish culture is carried out in commercial scales. In

India first of all the fish culture was started in west Bengal. Techniques of fish

culture involves collection of fish eggs and hatching, nursing of juveniles,

maintenance of nurseries, manuring, feeding and harvesting.

The culturable fishes are mainly of three types.

1. Fresh water (Indigenous or native)

2. Saltwater fishes

3. Exotic fishes (imported from other countries)

The common fishes used for culture in Kerala are the following.

1. Carps (catla catla)

Catla is the largest Indian carp attaining a maximum length of about a meter. It

is one of the fast growing freshwater food fish of India. The body is broad and

stout with a broad snout. The head is large with very prominent lips. The colour of
the body is blackish gray on the outside and silvery on the sides. In recent years

catla catla species is crossed with other culture fishes to obtain hybrid forms. The

important hybrid form of catla catla are catla rohu, catla-calabasu, catla marigal

etc.

2. Etroplus suratensis

It is a popular and delicious table fish popularly called ‘peal spot’ and in

Malayalam as ‘karimeen’. Though the natural habitat is the brackish waters, they

enter rivers and canals adjoining backwaters. The colour is greenish or deep purple

with eight vertical bands across the body. Etroplus breds throughout the year with

two peak periods, one during December – February months and the another

duringvMay – June months.

3. Mugil cphalus (Gray mullet)

Mullet live in shallow water and move in shoals. Usually they are found over

sandy of muddy botton containing detritus. Mugil cephalus is the largest of gray

mullets and most widely distributed along coastal waters.

4. Tilapia mossambica

It is an exotic species introduced in Indian in 1952. It is found sufficient

numbers in all the backwaters, rivers and ponds of kerala. It grows to a maximum

length of 36 cms. It breeds through out the year.

Carp culture

Carp have proved to be best culturable fish in india having following qualities.
 1. Carps feed on zoo an phytoplanktons, decaying weeds, debris and other

aquatic plants.

2. Carps can survive under some whats higher temperatures and also in turbid

water,

3. Carps can tolerate oxygen variation in water.

4. Carps can be transparted from one place to other easily.

5. The flesh of carp is mostly palatable and much nutritive.

Carp is cultured in fresh water ponds. The pond is fertilized with cowdung and

malwa cake which will increase the plankton growth in the pond which in turn will

murish the fishes. Artificially feed is given.

Shrimp culture

The process of growth the baby shrimps up to a marketable size in an

enclosed water body can be termed as shrimp farming. In traditional system of

shrimp farming, the incoming tides are trapped along with the young ones of

shrimps, fishes and other organizations that co-exist in the environment into the

already existing impoundments adjacent to estuaries and backwaters.

The extensive system of shrimp farming is an improved method of

traditional farming, involving comtruction of new ponds ranging from 1 to 5 ha, in

size, selective stocking with fast growing prawn seeds at a comparatively lower

density ranging from few thousands to 100000 seeds per ha. Without much

supplementary feeding and the water quality is maintained through the natural fall

and rise of tides.

The best species for culture in India are the tiger prawn, white prawn, flower

prawnand banana prawn.

Shell fish culture

Among the shell fish for food , mussels are the most important. The

mussels are gregarious sessile bivalve molusks. The green mussel and brown

mussel are two specious used in India for culture mussels are cultivated by

collecting the young mussels called the “sees mussels” or mussel spat”. The seeds

is collected mussel beds in coastal water where they are present in abundance

during spawning seasons.

In modern age, keeping ornamental fishes in the aquarium has become a

status symbol for many people. There are fresh water ornamental fishs and marine

ornamental fishes. The common freshwater ornamental fishes are gold fish, angel

fish, black molly, guppy, sword tail, dwarf gorami, giant goueami etc. some

common marine aquarium fishes are butterfly fish, sea horse, catfish, b lue damsel

fish etc.
 CONCLUSION
The culturing and rearing of fish and shell fish is known as pisciculture. Indian

has a vast area of natural and artificial water bodies as paddy fields, lakes, ponds,

rivers, swamps, irrigation channels and reservoirs. Fish faming involves raising

fish commercially in tanks or enclosers, usually for food. The most important fish

species used in fish farming are carp, salmon, tilapia and cat fish. There is an

increasing demand for fish and fish protein, which has resulted in widespread

overfishing in wild fisheries. Fish meal and fish oil are of greater economic

importance. So psiciculture has greater economic importance,

REFERENCE
1. Physiology and applied zoology – P.T Philip

2. Wikipedia