The practice of manipulating the stocks varies from the area and from
To obtain growth of algae, the seed or stock should be taken
from sources near the fishpond and vigorous growth of silky or
fibrous types should be selected.
1. Staking (tanim) method - a handful of 50 to 1000 grams each
of algae or lumut are staked at the pond bottom at equal inter-
vals of about one to two meters.
2. Sowing (sabog) method - patches of algae are simply thrown
from the dikes or from a boat.
3. Spreading (wag-wag) method - patches of algae are held with
one hand and with a strong rapid rotary movement, fragments
of algae fall and are spread almost uniformly on the bottom.
This method is adaptable in ponds free from wind and wave
action.
1. Pond fertilization - 50-70 kg/ha of 18-46-0 applied one week
after planting lumut. Application is repeated every 10-15 days
intervals. Two weeks after stocking, 15-25 kg/ha of 16-20-0
is applied are repeated every 2-3 weeks interval up to harvest.
2. Pond cultivation - In between crap periods, the pond soil is
stirred so that the nutrients are brought to the surface.
3. Pond fallowing (rest the pond) - The ponds are vacated of fish
stocks and other algae feeders. Fallowing may vary a few
months to one year.
The number of fry or fingerlings to be stocked in a pond is de-
pendent on the type and amount of food raised and the carrying
capacity of the ponds and also on how large the fish farmer
would want their fish to be.
a.) For lumut, the rate is usually from 1,000 to 1,500 finger-
lings per hectare.
b.) For lab-lab, the rate is from 1,500 to 3,000 fingerlings per
hectare.
c.) For plankton, the rate would be from 3,000 to 5,000 finger-
lings per hectare.
farmer to farmer.
Bangus fingerlings of the same size are usually stocked at the same time
and reared for period of three months for the first rearing pond period.
Three to four rearing periods a year are usually practiced.
The practice of stagerred planting and cropping of marketable sized fish
such that the size composition of the stock in the pond is regulated to an
optimum number that the available food could support also increase they
yield of the ponds.
Another practice which yields more is the stocking of fish in one pond
with good growth of food and then transfer them after a month to a larger
adjacent pond with similar growth of food and so on until the fish has
reached the desired size. The previous ponds are then prepared for the
succeeding rearing periods. Six to eight harvests are probable by using
this method.
Three to twelve months after stocking, bangus is harvested. This is done
by either of the following methods:
1. Current method or “pasubang” - utilizes the tendency of the fish to
swim against the current. The rearing pond is partially drained of its
water during low tide. At the next incoming high tide, new tidal water
is allowed to flow into the rearing pond. The fish then will swim
towards the inflowing water passing through the gate to the catching
pond where they congregate. After a sufficient number of fish have
been confined, the gate is closed. The confined fish are either seined
or scooped depending upon the size of the catching pond. This
method is used for totally draining the pond water.
2. Total drainage - the draining of pond water usually is not attempted
now a days in harvesting bangus. The quality of the fish suffers be-
cause of mud covered fish which becomes difficult to clear.
3. Gill netting - principles is similar to that in open waters. Fish farmers
usually do not practice gill netting as form of partial or selective
harvesting of the stock because the gill nets leave a mark around gill
and nape of the fish. Gill-netted fish commands a low market price in
the Philippines.
4. Seining - A seine is used only to partially harvest the fish stock in the
pond.
For inquiries contact:
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Division
2/F PCA Bldg., Elliptical Rd., Diliman, Quezon City
Telefax No.: (+632) 929-3439 Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Email: bfar_ifad@yahoo.com Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Division

Site Selection Criteria
1. Water Supply - A steady supply of good water throughout the
year should be available. For bangus fishponds along the
coastal areas, the source of good quality water is the tide
which may bring in either salt or brackishwater. For freshwa-
ter ponds, there should be a steady supply from a spring or
stream that does not dry up during the dry season.
2. Drainage - Sites should be drainable when necessary. Good
drainage is necessary to dry the pond bottom to get rid of
undesirable fish and water plants and simplify cropping of
fish products. Pond bottom elevation should be higher than
mean lower low tide to allow drying during low tide. Other-
wise pumps are needed to dry the ponds.
3. Soil - Clay, clay loam and sandy clay are the best types of soil
suitable for fishponds. Hard mud of the above types is prefer-
able to the soft and loose kind. Sandy bottom is also good for
fishponds. Rocky or stony soils and areas with thick organic
matter deposits should be avoided.
4. Topography - Level marshes, swamplands or tidal flats are the
best sites. Undulating topography needs lot of leveling which
entails big expenses.
5. Vegetation - Areas with scanty vegetation should be selected
as all these are to removed.
6. Free from floods - Sites which are periodically flooded should
be avoided. If area is near the foot hills, run-off water should
be diverted by a peripheral canal.
7. Marketing facilities - Sites should be near a market and good
transportation facilities.
8. Other economic factors - If possible fish fry for periodic
stocking, cheap and trained laborer should be available.
A month or two before stocking (fry or fingerlings) the ponds
must be prepared with meticulous care to create the best condi-
tions for lab-lab growth.
1. Level pond bottom to maximize production area and to make
water management truly effective.
2. Drain pond completely and expose to dry for about one to two
weeks.
3. Admit water to a depth barely covering the pond floor.
Screens should be provided at the gates to prevent the re-
entry of wild fishes.
4. Apply organic fertilizers if required, to be followed by inor-
ganic fertilizer 2 to 3 days later.
5. Increase depth of water, 3 to 5 cm at each time, until depth of
about 25 cm is reached during stocking, 1 to 1 1/2 months
after initial flooding. An abrupt increase in depth causes lab-
lab to lose attachment.
6. Re-apply inorganic fertilizer if lab-lab develop poorly, 1 to 2
weeks interval, Replenish water prior to application of fertil-
izer. Drain water only if extremely necessary such as during
very heavy rains.
Pond condition favorable (optimum stocking rate, good and
abundant lab-lab, weather etc.), Lab-lab usually last about 45 to
60 culture days. Additional doses of fertilizer may be tried to
sustain good growth, otherwise the stock should be thinned out
or totally transferred to other ponds. Generally, rearing ponds
with lab-lab should not be allowed to be completely grazed to
provide the “seed” for the succeeding culture. Lab-lab appears to
develop comparatively better during the dry months than during
the wet months.
For raising bangus in ponds with plankton, the following re-
quirements and procedure should be followed:
1. Depth of pond water - an optimum of 75 to 100 cm; greater
than 100 cm not recommended.
2. Fertilizer platform - not essential but the platform method
of fertilization is more effective and more efficient in pro-
ducing plankton in ponds.
3. Inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0 or 16-20-0) - suffi-
cient to produce and maintain desired plankton
growth, fertilizer is applied periodically as needed
to maintain desirable plankton abundance.
4. Bangus fingerlings - 3,000 to 5,000 per hectare is
needed for stocking.
1. Drain the pond and leave it without water for a
minimum of 24 hours before letting in water.
2. Fill the pond with water to an average depth of 60
cm (preferably 75 to 100 cm)
3. Apply fertilizer on the platform before, during or
after filling the pond at a rate of 22 kg. (slightly
less than 1/2 bag) of 18-46-0 or 50 kg (1 bag) of
16-20-0 per hectare.
4. Stock the pond with 3,000 to 5,000 bangus fry or
fingerlings per hectare.
5. Repeat fertilization after one week and then using
the same amount of fertilizer as the first application
to maintain water visibility to less than 40 cm
(water visibility should be about 20 to 30 cm; less
than 15 or greater than 40 cm are not desirable).
Use a white plate or a similar object to determine
visibility.
The pond is thoroughly drained and the pond bottom is
exposed under the sun to eliminate fish enemies and
other algae-grazing organisms. When planting time ap-
proaches, water is allowed in and out of the ponds sev-
eral times to wash out crystallized bottom is drained but
left moist or barely covered with water. The depth or
height of water in the pond is regulated up to a level
which the growth of lumut could permit.