Mon 05th July 2021

FISH FARMING IN EARTHEN PONDS

Driven by desires to indulge in fish farming, we began rearing catfish and mudfish in April
2020 in tanks, a few months thereafter; we mutually agreed to do away with mudfish
because of their expected insignificant returns. The tanks were all targeted at exploiting
knowledge and high fish production in a very small area that even one without a swamp
can do fish farming. Efforts have been made in research and practice to see that we obtain
the best of our catfish in the tanks; unfortunately, it has still not proved well, the cause
being long term and a little obscure.

I believe that fish farming sector has not failed, instead we have found various ways that
may not work in the due process, and so today I hereby show my interests in earthen pond
fish farming; basing on the fact that we are still naturally gifted with resources to support
them over the station at Nakaziba a nd as well obtaining back up from the document (CAT
FISH GROWTH DIFFERENCE REPORT) SENT earlier. Therefore, I believe it should be
our turn now to cherish nature.

In addition to fish harvest from the naturally existing water bodies like lakes, rivers and
much more, fish culture production in ponds is on a remarkable increase chiefly because,
they are comparably inexpensive to construct, easy to maintain and relatively easier
management practices. The continuous water in flow and out flow in and out of this shallow
depression is what defines it as a pond and not a pool. The latter instead intermittently
receives water, holds it and loses it.

This questionnaire will serve to guide us on a number of basics concerning aquaculture in

fresh water fishponds.

1. What are the general features of fishponds?

Irrespective of the various types of ponds, they have got much in common:
• Pond walls/ dikes for holding water
• Pipes or channels for letting in and out water
• Water controls for controlling levels of water in a pond
• Tracks along the pond walls or dikes for increasing accessibility to the pond
2. What are the different types of ponds?
The fresh water ponds can largely be sub classified depending on a number of
phenomena as below;
• According to the water source
✓ Spring-water ponds are supplied from the spring either in the pond or
very close to it. Irrespective of whether water supply may vary
annually, the water quality is always assured.
✓ Seepage ponds are supplied from the water table by seepage into the
pond. Water level varies with the level o the water table.
✓ Rain-fed ponds are supplied from rainfall and surface runoff
✓ Ponds can be fed from water bods such as stream, lake a reservoir.
These can be fed directly by water running directly into the pond as in
Barrage ponds or can be indirectly by channeling water whence its
 controllably allowed to the enter the ponds for example the diversion
ponds
✓ Pump fed ponds; always higher than the water level and can be
supplied from a well, lake or river
• According to the means of drainage
✓ Un drainable ponds; can’t be drained by gravity. Such ponds are often
dug in swampy areas where there is no source of water other than the
ground water.
✓ Drainable ponds; can be drained by gravity, these are often fed by
spring-stream or pump-fed
✓ Pump drained ponds; can be drained by gravity to a certain level then
the rest of water by pump.
• According to the construction materials
✓ Earthen ponds; entirely constructed from soil materials
✓ Walled ponds; usually surrounded by blocks, bricks, or concrete banks
• According to the construction method
✓ Dug-out ponds; by excavating soil from an area to form a depression
that’s then filled with water
✓ Embankment ponds; formed without excavation by building one or
more dikes above ground level to impound water.
✓ Cut and fill ponds; formed partially by excavation and partially by
embankment on a sloping ground

As much as the above pond classification; the three basic pond types are:

➢ Sunken ponds; the pond floor is generally below the level of surrounding land. It’s
often un drainable or partially drainable, having been built as a dug out pond or
with additional embankments.
➢ Barrage ponds; built in the bottom of the valley by building a dam across the lower
end of the valley. Such ponds are drainable by gravity.to protect flooding of such
ponds, a spillway is built.
➢ Diversion ponds; this is fed indirectly by gravity. The water flow is controlled
through an inlet pipe and outlet pipes. These ponds can be constructed either on
sloping ground as cut and fill pond or on flat ground as a four dike like embankment
pond, also called the paddy ponds.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of the earthen
ponds?
Type of earthen pond advantages disadvantages
Sunken pond/ excavated No need for dikes except Water level can vary
ponds for flood protection seasonally
No water body to supply Requires more work to
water excavate
Little skill required for Undrainable, un
the construction controlled water supply,
 Barrage pond/ Simple to design for small Dike requires careful
embankment ponds streams anchoring
Construction costs are Need for a spill away and
relatively low its drainage canal
Natural productivity can No control of incoming
be high due to good water water
quality Cant completely be
drained out unless inlet is
blocked
Irregular shape and size

Diversion ponds/ Easy control of water Construction costs are

sometimes similar to the supply higher than for the
partially excavated ponds Good pond management barrage ponds
with low walls Is possible Natural productivity is
Can be drained lower especially if built
completely in infertile soils
Regular shape and size is Construction requires
possible good topographical
surveys
Table 1

4. What factors should be considered while siting and constructing an earthen pond?
o Topography. The priority here is put on an assurance that a pond can fill and
drain by gravity, eliminating the need for pumping out water and the
associated costs. To achieve this, a site is selected with a gentle slope of about
2-4%. This means a vertical drop of 2cm for every meter in a horizontal
distance
Valley longitudinal Valley cross-sectional Possible type of pond
profile profile
Slope greater than 5% Slope greater than 5% none
Slope less than 5% Diversion pond
Sunken pond
Slope less than 5% Slope 5-10% Barrage pond
Sunken pond
Slope less than 5% Diversion pond
Paddy pond
Sunken pond
Table 2
o Soil type. The soils must be able to hold water and contribute to pond
fertility. The soils should thus be loamy-clay soils. The clay nature avoids
seepage of water and maintains firmness of the dikes. However, if the soils
aren’t suitable, the bottom of the pond can be lined with polythene sheets or a
layer of clay
o Shape and size of ponds. The size of the pond depends on the intended use.
The intended use can be research, subsistence or commercial fish farming.
Type of pond Area (m2)
 Subsistence ponds 100-400
Small-scale commercial ponds 400-1000
Large scale commercial ponds 1000-5000
Table 3
o Water quality and quantity. there must be a permanent source of clean fresh
water. This continuous water supply is required to maintain the desired water
levels. The water parameters should lie within acceptable levels as below.
parameter Acceptable range
pH 6,8-8,2
Dissolved oxygen >5mg/l (70% saturation)
Water transparency 30-45cm visibility of secchi disk
temperature 20-30°c
Table 4
o Human activities around the site and upstream; any sort of chemicals should
be highly avoidable.
5. What is the recommended pond layout and size?
If more than one pond is to be constructed, then each pond should have a direct
water source from the feeding water channel and that it discharges it into the
drainage canal. This is called the parallel inlets, and it’s the recommended one.
Ponds shouldn’t be constructed in series as this can lead to disease spread from one
pond to the other, and a pond cant be drained independently.
6. Describe the practical procedure of earthen pond construction (20m*30m)
• Clear a perimeter of 3m from the actual mark of 20X30m in a suitable site
• Mark out the rectangle with sticks and strings so that the outside of the wall
will be seen
• Remove approximately 15-20cm of the top soil from the surface between the
strings and pile it outside the strings. This soil shouldn’t be discarded as it
will be used for planting of grass around the pond
• Now mark the new sticks and strings, a rectangle of 20x30m within the
perimeter
• Plan the location of the water inlet and outlet
• Start digging out the top soil of the smaller rectangle(20x30m) from the
planned outlet
• Dig 1,0-1,5m at this point and continue downwards the inlet as you reduce
the gradient to reach about 80cm at the inlet
• The du out soil is piled bwteen the smaller rectangle and large rectangle to
form the pond wall, every after about 20cm of piled earth material, it must be
wetted and compacted using compacting tools. These walls must be water
tight and strong enough to prevent them from falling in.
• Slant the pond walls to about 45° to the bottom surfaceof the pond. This is to
avoid the collapse of the walls due to pond water action.
• Insatall the inlet and outlet pipes, preferably PVC pipes. a 4’’ pipe extending
from the inlet into the pond is installed in such a way that the incoming
water falls into the pond. For the outlet, the 6’’ pipe is laid from the bottom
through the pond bank to the drainage canal and covered with soil
 A 6’’ elbow is used to join the pipe in the pond bank with another one of same
diameter standing in the pond water column. This elbow permits the
adjustment of the pond water level by lowering or raising the pipe standing
in the pond water column. Both outlet and inlet columns should be screened
using a net material to prevent entry of unwanted organisms into the pond
and escape of the fish.
• Spread the top soil that was removed from the pond excavation site on top of
the dykes and plant short rooted grass over it
• The grass helps to hold the dyke and prevent it from eroding.
• The dyke should be strong enough to support the daily fish management
activities
7. How an earthen pond is prepared prior to fish stocking?
In fish farming business, it is not right to stock your fishpond without proper
preparation and treatment of the pond and water. The pre-stock management is
inclusive of pond liming and fertilizing.
a) What is meant by pond liming?
• Pond liming. This is crucial as it balances the pH of the water; reduce water
seepage from the pond and increases fertility of the pond to phytoplankton.
the earthen ponds are often constructed in the clay soils which are
interestingly acidic due to their ability to hold free hydrogen ions, and that
the ph of your pond depends on the interaction pond water with the pond
bed, it would ultimately make the waters more acidic, which is avoided by
pond liming.
In pond liming, it involves neutralizing the acidic content of the pond by
adding bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium. However, before liming, its
important to check the pH of different water samples from your pond, and if
the alkalinity of the pond is less than 20mg/L, then pond liming is necessary.
b) What are the benefits of pond liming?

Below are the benefits of pond liming

✓ Improves fertilization of the pond

✓ Prevents large pH variations in pond water
✓ The calcium and magnesium added are essential nutrients required by
fish for proper growth and development
✓ Prevents seepage of water out of the pond
✓ Regulates water hardness. The ideal water hardness is 75-20mg/L. is
is necessary in bone and scale formation eventuating into good
osmoregulation’s
✓ Hydrated limes can be used to sterilize the pond against diseases
causing organisms

C) How is pond liming done?

Quick lime (calcium oxide) and slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) are not always a good
choice for the beginners because they are expensive and can make the pH vary enormously.
The basic slag and liquid lime have satisfactory results when used to treat the pond but
they have some characteristics that disqualify them as the substance of choice in liming

Consequently, the best material for liming for a beginner is the agricultural limestone. The
agricultural lime can be either calcitic or dolomitic. The key advantages of agricultural lime
are;

✓ It is a cheap and readily available

✓ Liming doesn’t require special skill
✓ Can significantly improve the pond alkalinity and water hardness
✓ It acts as a pH buffer
✓ Effective in controlling seepage of the water
If the limestone os too coarse, its crushed to a finer texture to improve its surface
area and its neutralizing capability. Its then broadcasted 50-200gm/m2 over the
entire dried pond bottom and left to dry for 14 days. The pond is then flooded to
60cm (about just above the knees)

c) What is pond fertilsation?

The most important reason of pond liming is actually increasing the pond
response to pond fertilizing. Further festination introduces nitrogen,
phosphorous and potassium to the pond for growth of the phytoplankton and as
well a nutrient source to the fish
Fertilization precedes pond liming. This involves application of inorganic manure
such as SSP, NPK, and TSP or preferably, animal manures to already flooded
ponds to stimulate natural fish food production.
For inorganic manure, its put into a sack and submerged into water or can be
sprinkled over the entire water surface
Organic manure is put into sacks and placed at various points in the water.
Form of fertilizer Bi-weekly application (g/m2)
Cattle dung 100
Chicken droppings 50
Urea 2
TSP 5
Table 5

However, before fertilizer application, it’s important that the pond fertility is
checked basing on the recommended secchi disk readings. Or else, a farmer can
tell when to fertilize when he keeps his forearm in the pond water just past the
elbow, if the finger nails are observed, then fertilization is needed, if not
fertilization is not necessary.
 Secchi disk reading Recommended management
18-24 inches Good bloom-do nothing
12-18 inches Dense bloom-watch closely
12 inches or less Bloom too dense- determine source
and be prepared to aerate at night
6 inches or less Oxygen depletion imminent
granular Pounds /acre/ application
Greater than 24 inches fertilize

8. What are the necessary materially for making a good earthen pond?
The construction materials largely vary depending on the excavation mechanism;
• An excavator if one requires a motorized excavation mechanism but the
expensive bit of it is obvious
• Hoes,
• spades,
• building shoves,
• compactor
• 6’’ and 4’’ PVC pipes,
• 6’’ PVC elbow
• Cement
• Hard core stones
• Screens
• Pond lime
• Fertilizers
• Fencing equipment to do away with predators
9. What types of fish can be reared in an earthen pond and their relations with the
tanks?
• Catfish. This is one of the most largely cultured fish in earthen ponds owing
to its adaptability to the environment, fast growth rates, greater output. On
top of this there lies an opportunity to reproduce within the earthen pond due
to the muddy nature of the pond beds which is remarkably impossible within
the tanks. Basing on the fact that the cat fish is largely carnivorous in
nature, here it finds a large opportunity to prey lively upon the fauna of its
choice within the waters of the earthen pond unlike in tanks where its largely
confined to the complete feeds. This has provided a basis of the good weight
gains of catfish raised in earthen ponds. In turn, feeding on complete feeds is
somewhat reduced in comparison with feeding in tanks where they solely
depend on the supplement feeds. Owing to the fact that the earthen ponds
are relatively longer, the cat fish has got to swim comparatively longer
distances from the deep in search for food which is often applied at the
shallow portion of the pond, in so doing, the fish stretch which carries an
additional advantage of the fish putting on longer lengths and that the fish
exhibit isometric growth, the size of the fish will have to increase in regular
 proportions with its length. There lies an un beaten advantage of the cat fish
rearing in earthen ponds than in tanks that the cat fish have got higher
stocking densities and bigger output at harvest than their counterparts, the
tilapia.
• The tilapia. Despite their difficult nature to be raised in tanks, farmers have
proved success with raising tilapia in earthen ponds. This is because the
ponds have larger surface area that enables adequate aeration of the ponds
and continuous flow of the fresh water. All this can be achieved in tanks, but
the gist of it lies that it’s largely expensive to maintain.
At the market, a farmer can buy duo-sex fingerlings or sex reversed
fingerlings. At the age of one month the tilapia are sexually mature, so the
females will begin to lay eggs and because of their innate protective nature,
the females will harbor their fertilized eggs and hatchlings into their buccal
cavity for longer than a week during which time the females cannot feed.
This is the chief cause of the very low weight gains in females in the duo-sex
tilapia culture; in addition, a lot of energy is diverted to egg production
instead of use in weight gain. It is a remarkable feature that tilapia largely
reproduce, this carries a disadvantage that it will create a lot of competition
within the ponds arising from the increased stocking densities.
So on emphasis the farmers are advised to stock sex reversed tilapia. About
97% of these fingerlings are males if the sex reversal hormone used was
effective. The males do not reproduce, so grow much faster and have bigger
weights at harvest by 8 months atmost.
Following the imprinting behavior within the tilapia, its advised that a
farmer should stock about 5 yearlings with his fingerlings, these have got to
train the latter in feeding and swimming as well as other survival
mechanisms. This is not necessary in cat fish!!
In general its much easier to rear tilapia in earthen ponds than in tanks.
• Ssemutundu and many others.
10. What are the recommended stocking densities of the fish?
The stocking would rather depend on the culture; this may be either mixed (raising
different fish species in one pond) or monoculture (one fish species).
Care should be taken that if its monoculture of tilapia, they are sex reversed for good
commercial results, then if its cat fish its somewhat fine,
however best returns are experienced on the mixed culture.in the mixed culture, the
tipia are stocked atmost three months earlier but these tilapia are less sex reversed
to enable them reproduce within the three months. Thereafter catfish juveniles are
stocked which will have to largely prey on the tilapia fingerlings produced
thereafter. This has four main advantages according to experience from farmers of
practice 1. It will provide the most favorable prey to the carnivorous catfish, which
will push their growth rates by three-fold 2. It will largely provide basis of avoiding
cannibalism among the catfish 3. I will have to regulate the stocking densities of the
tilapia within the pond and 4. There is a double output (harvest tilapia first and
then cat fish a few months later)
 For the cat fish its recommended to stock juveniles because they are better adaptive
to the new environment and their cannibalistic behavior is greatly reduced.
Culture Stocking density (pieces/m2) Size/ stage
Tilapia alone 5 >10g (about 30days old)
Cat fish alone 8 >10cm length
Mixed culture 4 tilapia-5 cat fish
11. What are the likely challenges associated with fish farming in earthen ponds?
• Predation upon the fish by the predators, the predators can be birds or
mammals, for this case fencing barriers will be required such as chain links
to keep ponds out of the land predators and a predator net is used to avoid
predator birds, the predatory nets are often worn out fishnets.
• Wrong site selection, as this may be associated with a pond failing to contain
water of when the site has inadequate water, making fish farming
inappropriate
• Labour intensive to dig out ponds
• False information from different farmers leading to severe losses
• Limited capital to maintain the farm activities such as in feeding…

This document has been raised with integration of knowledge from the practicing fish
farmers, various literature and internet based research. It is valid to editions with time
following continual research and self-experience in the sector.

Thanks