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AQUACULTURE DEMONSTRATION CENTRE, ASHAIMAN

INDUSTRAIL ATTACHMENT REPORT

INTRODUCTION

Internship is an interphase between learning theory and practical. It can also be said as the pre-
professional experience that enables interns to have first- hand practical knowledge and skills. It
primarily focuses on getting some on-the-job training and taking what is learnt in the classroom
and applying it in the real world. This internship covers the whole activities and sections which
give a feel of first hand practical experience on the farm.

Aquaculture is the rearing of organisms in water under controlled management. Some of the
preferred fish that are cultured include;

Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia), Clarias gariepinus (African catfish), Heterobrancus spp,
Heterotis niloticus just to mention a few. However, the most preferable tilapia for culturing is the
Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia)

The Nile tilapia is preferred due to its high tolerance to warm weather conditions, adaptable to
different environments, has high protein content which is very important for human
consumption, fast growth rate, very palatable and resistant to diseases. It is also characterized by
its ability to reproduce under captivity, ability to withstand stress during transportation and its
adoption to a range of feeds.

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BACKGROUND

Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture which involves raising fish commercially in
tanks or enclosure, usually for food (Wikipedia, 2009). In this direction the government of
Ghana found it necessary to setup fisheries segments at every crop irrigation centres all over the
country which Ashaiman is a beneficiary to this initiative, hence the establishment of the
Aquaculture Demonstration Centre (ADC) located at Ashaiman Lebanon Zone 2 in 1968 and has
ever remained functioning contributing to the national fishery growth in terms of quality
fingerling supply to fish farmers nationwide. It also provides extension services to farmers and
students.

MISSION

To create an enabling environment that would facilitate and attract public and private sector
investments in aquaculture in sustained basis.

VISION

Believes in accelerating the development of the private sector-led aquaculture that enables the
subsector to contribute significantly to fish food and nutritional security, employment generation,
increase incomes, economic growth and poverty reduction on a sustainable basis.

The Centre aims to improve the management practice and development of the fish farming as a
viable business.

Sustainable fish production requires the following;

 Adequate fingerlings production (seed)

 Continuous stocking of ponds, cages, pens, etc.

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  The use of good quality seed.

A good quality fingerling is characterized by the following;

 Healthy looking without deformity.

 Good condition with good body thickness and firmity.
 Fast growing rate to attain between 250-350 grams in 6 months in pond condition and
between 400-500 grams in cage condition.

FACILITIES AT THE AQUACULTURAL DEMONSTRATION CENTRE, ASHAIMAN

Aquaculture Demonstration Centre, Ashaiman is directly under the Ministry of Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development (MoFAD). It is situated at Ashaiman Lebanon zone 2 in the Greater
Accra Region.

The centre has the following facilities;

1. Three offices equipped with computers, printers, scanner, fax machine, cabinets for
keeping files and writing desks for administrative works.
2. A deep freezer for storing harvested fish and/ or chemicals.
3. Two hatcheries for incubating fish eggs.
4. Store rooms for keeping materials and feed, milling room and a wash room.
5. Water storage tanks (polytanks)
6. Five sizeable grow-out ponds, four measuring 1500m2 each and one 1800m2, five nursery
earthen ponds of 150m2 each and twelve concrete ponds of 50m2 each.
7. Three fibre glass tanks for holding fish temporarily in water.
8. Two cast nets for scanty catch.
9. Three big seine nets for major harvest in the grow-out ponds.
10. Two nursery seine nets for harvesting fingerlings.
11. A number of hapas for temporal holding of fish.
12. Scoop nets for collecting brood stocks and fries.

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 13. A dinghy for monitoring on the irrigational dam and other lager water bodies outside the
centre.
Also, the centre has regular supply of both pipe borne water which is connected to the national
grid and dam water which flows by gravity to resource the ponds on the farm.

STAFFING

PERIOD
The industrial attachment commenced during the second semester of the 3rd year of Natural
Resources Management students, which started from 14th January, 2019 and ended on the 14th
May, 2019. On Monday, the 14th of January, 2019, I reported at the centre and assumed my
internship.

The activities carried out during the period under review included;
1. Brood stock selection and management.
2. Collection of fry and hatching eggs fortnightly.
3. Flushing all fish ponds especially concrete tanks.
4. Transfer all sex reversal fry from concrete tanks to grow out earthen ponds.
5. Ensure good sanitation of nursery tanks and grow out ponds by scrubbing and raking.
6. Daily feeding of fries and fingerlings 4 times a day with Coppens and Raanan fish feeds.
7. Daily feedings of brood stocks 2 times with Coppens and Raanan fish feeds.
8. Preparation of hormone feed for convertible fries for all male fry/fingerlings production.
9. Carried out induced spawning of Clarias gariepirius (African catfish).

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TILAPIA FRY/FINGERLING PRODUCTION
About 90% of the Ashaiman Aquaculture Demonstration Centre’s activities were on
fingerling production. The steps involved;
1. Brood stock selection
2. Pairing
3. Management
4. Timing
5. Egg collection
6. Fry collection
7. Treatment with sex reversal hormone
8. Nursing of frying to fingerling
9. Packaging
10. Sale to fish farmers

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BROOD STOCK SELECTION

Brooders (broodstock) are a group of mature individuals used in aquaculture for breeding
purposes. In selecting good quality brood stock, the following was considered;

 The brood must be from good genetic source with no inbreeding depressions. The
brooders used for fry production are obtained from grout-out ponds at the centre.
 They must be developed in good water environment with no biological or chemical
pollution.
 They must have fast growth (comparing the sizes to other brooders) and good condition
(length and thick body conformity).
 They must be free from body deformities and foreign colourations.
 They should attained sizes between 80 – 200g (they can produce about 250 to 500 fry
respectively at a time).
 They should be of high fecundity. In general, the Nile tilapia is a prolific fish and is
capable of producing a huge number of eggs over a short period of time.

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STOCKING AND MANAGEMENT OF BROODERS

The stocking ratio of male to female is 1:3 respectively and the carrying capacity of each
concrete tank is 200 made up of 50 males and 150 females. Due to the intensity of hatchery
production system, it is necessary to use clean, unpolluted water with the following
requirements:
1. Low suspended solids (low turbidity)
2. pH between 6.5 – 9.0
3. Zero salinity
4. High oxygen concentrations above 5ppm.
The main source of water was from the Ashaiman Irrigation Reservoir which was coupled with
an underground water source (a bore hole) and running water from the national grid. It is
suspected to be heavily polluted because people have encroached and built houses around the
water body with its resultant human waste disposal into the water directly.
Unfortunately, the farm does not have water test equipment to monitor the water quality. This is
important because the farm depends on a peri-urban irrigation dam as the main water supply to
the farm.
Brooders are rested 2 weeks after being used for two (2) months. The farm maintained two set
batches of brooders for sustainable production to be maintained. Resting involves the separation
of males from the females into separate ponds for 2 weeks before being returned together in the
spawning tanks to continue production. In order to obtain mixed fingerlings the fries are not fed
with hormone feed whiles those fed on hormone have 95% conversion.

FRY/FINGERLING PRODUCTION

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  By this method eggs are collected and hatched in a laboratory using the continuous
agitation method in an artificial incubator. These range from local improvised containers
such as Voltic water bottles to well-designed McDonald Jars
 The eggs are collected on the 14th day after stocking the brooders using mosquito net
seine.
 The water in the spawning tank is usually reduced to about 30cm deep. Seine through the
spawning tank with the mosquito net.
 With a big hand scoop net of between 30 – 40 cm diameter ring scoop net with a short
handle to scoop the brooders.
 Hold the fish in the ring net for about 5 to 7 seconds in the air to cause discomfort.
 Dip the ring net with the fish in a basin with water. All released eggs would be collected
in the bowl.
 The mouth of each fish is inspected (only females) and all the eggs in their mouths are
flushed out into a basin with water.
 The eggs are cleaned by sieving out large impurities and decant lighter impurities
 The eggs are hatched in the artificial incubators between 3 – 6 days depending on the
water temperature. It was observed that above 230C, eggs hatched within 3 days while
below 230C it hatched between 4 to 6 days. Under temperature conditions between 29°C
and 34°C, hatching is last within 3-5 days.
 After hatching, they are sent to their respective sex reversal tanks for hormonal treatment
where they are feed with starter feed incorporated with 17 α methyl testosterone. The
hormonal treatment lasts for 28 days.
 .In order to obtain mixed fingerlings the fries are not fed with hormone feed whiles those
fed on hormone have 95% conversion.

SEX REVERSAL TREATMENT

The fries are fed with a male hormone (17 alpha-methyl testosterone) mixed with feed for
females to be converted to all males. The fries are fed for 28 days to ensure higher conversion

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rate, say 95 – 98%. This becomes possible because fries are sexless when they are newly
hatched. Therefore, treatment begins immediately the eggs hatch.

PROCEDURE
 It is recommended that 0.06g of 17alpha-methyl testosterone be dissolved in a 500ml of
95% industrial alcohol and mixed the solution with 1kg of feed. 95% concentration of
alcohol is to ensure all crystals of the hormone is dissolved.
 The mixture is then sieved for lumps.
 The feed is then dried under room temperature to prevent the hormone from evaporating
with the alcohol.
 The hormonal feed is then bagged and stored in a cool dry place for use.

Fries are feed sufficiently after hatching 4 - 6 times daily. Feeding regime and frequency is
repeated for 28 days to ensure higher conversion rate.

SALE AND TRANSPORT OF FINGERLINGS

When fingerlings are due for sale, the following are observed to reduce stress and mortality.
 A sample is after weighed and counted as an estimate for packaging
 Withdraw feeding a day before gathering the fingerlings to ensure minimal stress.
 Transfer fingerling from earthen pond into a concrete tank or hapa for easy accessibility.
 Condition the fingerlings by flushing water on them. This enables a lot of oxygen into the
tank and also hardens them to be able to withstand the current of flowing water.

The harvesting of fry and fingerlings from ponds, packaging and transporting them requires
experience and careful handling to reduce stress, injury and mortality.
 Hand counting is done so as to serve the farmer with the right quantity.

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 Polythene bags (mostly 120cm x 70cm) are used as packaging material.
 Knot the sealed part of the polythene to avoid seal leakage.
 Double the polythene to ensure safety.
 Fill the inner polythene with 20litres of water which will occupy one – third part of the
polythene.
 Use only clean cool water (aged tap water or rain water)
 For fingerlings below 2g put 1,000 per polythene.
 For fingerlings between 2 – 5g put 500 per polythene (120cm x 70cm)
 For fingerlings between 5-10g put 250 per polythene (120cm x 70cm)
 For fish between 10-50g put 150 per polythene (120cm x 70cm)
 Bubble pure oxygen 100% in water and inflate the remaining space of the polythene to a
level that the top of polythene can be knotted. NB: knot each polythene separately.
 Use no hooks, nails or pins near the sealed bags.
 The polythene bags can be placed in wooden boxes, hand carrier bags (Ghana most go) or
directly without outer containers/bags.
 Fish should be transported when the temperature is low preferably between 4am – 9am
and from 3pm into the night. During warm weather conditions, ice cubes can be used to
keep the water cool.
 At the point of restocking (new ponds/cages) place the polythene on the water for 10-20
minutes to acclimatize them.
 Tear the polythene wide enough to allow the new water into the polythene; this gradually
introduces the fish to the new water.
 Allow the fish to swim out on their own into the new water body.
 Feed them the next day.
 Collect all dead and those suspected to die from the water surface.

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CATFISH FRY/FINGERLINGS PRODUCTION

Good quality fry is imperative for the production catfish fry. The survival of fries depends on
certain inherent characteristics from parents and the controlled conditions in which they are
cultured. Brooders with good marketable features, amenability to pond culture, fast growth
(compared to other brooders) accompanied with good culture conditions will guarantee good
quality fry production.

Catfish unlike tilapia do not reproduce naturally in ponds. In nature, they require sudden flooding
and slow flowing currents to stimulate them to spawn. Catfish are seasonal in their spawning
habits. Spawning starts from May to October with little or no spawning between November to
April. To obtain large quantities of catfish fingerlings for culturing in ponds, cages and concrete
tanks and hapas, on continuous basis, scientific techniques are required. Some of these
techniques are;

 Natural methods
 Copy method
 Artificial spawning

The centre uses artificial spawning for fry/fingerlings production.

ARTIFICIAL SPAWNING

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Artificial spawning, also termed as induced spawning or stimulation method requires the use
calculations, weighing, timing, stripping fertilization, Incubation and larval, fry and fingerling
management

The stepwise approach involves the following;

1. Broodstock selection
 Matured brooders of 8 months or more are stocked and weighing 500g to 1.5 kg
are ideal for this procedure.
 Healthy growth if good shape and body appearance. Avoid lean, thin and weak
fish.
 Females must have a large belly with eggs. Press out some few eggs and examine
the sizes, colour, fluid flow and egg separation. Matured eggs flow out separate
with no blood in the fluid and colour may appear brownish greenish.

2. Injection
 Injection can be made using ovaprim or pituitary extracts. The centre uses
ovaprim to carry out this procedure.
 Ovaprim is a potent ovulating/spermiating agent used to promote and facilitate
reproduction and is extracted from the urine of pregnant animals including
humans.
 The volume of the ovaprim used in injection depends on the body weight of the
brooder and the sex.
 For females, 0.3 – 0.4mls of ovaprim is given per 1kg weight of fish and males
are given 0.2mls per kg weight.

After injection, the eggs will mature within 12 to 18 hours depending in the water temperature.

3. Striping of eggs
 Above 24°C, the eggs will mature faster than below 22°C.
 A towel will then be used to hold the female fish firm.
 Water on the fish will also be wiped from the fish with a towel.
 Allow a second person to hold the tail side of the fish with the towel.

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  With a dry clean bowl below the fish anus, the eggs are gently pressed out of the
belly with the thumb till slight blood comes out.
 Cover the eggs immediately using a bowl or dry towel and keep it in a safe place.
 It should be noted that no water should be allowed to drop on the egss.
4. Extracting of milt
 males and females with the same weight will be matched.
 The testes of males are removed from their bellies.
 testes are then placed on a piece of mosquito net and the milt is then squeezed out
into a small cup with 5ml normal saline.
5. Fertilization
 The milt can also be squeezed directly on the eggs.
 The milt is then poured onto the eggs for fertilization.
 After stirring for say 4 minutes, clean water is added and poured immediately
( this process cleans eggs and fertilization is effected immediately.
 The eggs are then spread into a mosquito netted fibre glass tank.
 24 – 36 hours on, eggs will hatch. Shells are left on the net. The mosquito net is
then removed with the shells.
 Change the water carefully if foaming and smelling.
 Fries are then fed with artemia larvae, soy milk or eggs yolk on the third day after
hatching.
 Move fry to nursing tanks with partial shade.
 Feeding with artemia is continued for 2 weeks
 0.2 – 0.3 powdery feed can be feed for another 2 weeks.
 Darin pond, grader fry and grade (on the average, the jumpers would be 5g each
while majority will be 0.7g.

Grading

Catfish are carnivorous in nature. They also show cannibalism and will tend to feed on smaller
members, grading therefore done to separate fries according to their size and help reduce
cannibalism. It is done with the help of a grader. The grading process is as follows;

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  Fries are seining out of the nursery tank and held temporarily in a fibre grass tank.
 A level of allowance is made in the grader (to get the preferred size) and is then lowered
into the water with its upper part out of the water.
 The fries are then scooped into the grader. Much smaller ones will be able to escape into
the fibre grass tanks leaving the other ones.
 By this process, the much smaller fries are separated from the large ones, which in turn
helps reduce cannibalism.

CATFISH PACKEGING FOR TRANSPORT

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OBSERVATIONS

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RECOMMENDATIONS

 The farm needs an ultramodern hatchery in order to improve upon the quality of
fingerlings as well as increase production and also reduce hatching mortality.
 The farm also needs a blower or bigger aerators to dissolve oxygen in the ponds.
 The farm needs a pick up as it does not have an official vehicle which creates a lot of
inconveniences during buying and transporting feed and other inputs to the farm.
 The farm requires adequate media coverage and publicity since many a person living in
Ashaiman does not know of the existence of the farm except those living near the facility.

CONCLUSION

The farm can produce to meet the increasing market demands if only all the
recommendations of this report are considered. This would not only ensure food security
and reduce malnutrition but also provide more jobs as well as contribute to the economic
development of human-hood and Ghana as a whole.

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