AGRIBUSINESS: HOW TO MAKE FISH FLAKES .

 

 Materials; 1) fish meal.

 2) cray fish. 

3) flour.

 4) vitamin C. 

 Method. Measure out fish meal @60% ,then add cray fish @30%..

 Add vitamin C @ 1 teaspoon and mix with a bit of water to form paste(use the flour as binder). 

 Allow paste to dry ,and cut in desired shapes and sizes.

COMMON FISH DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY IN FEED.

Feed must be balanced in all essential nutrients in terms of carbohydrate,protein,fat and oil. Vitamins and minerals are also essential for growth,balance and total health status of fish.The various component manifest different signs when absent in feed,the most prominent sign is stunted growth,delayed harvest s=,reduced survival rate.Vitamins and minerals in feed are essential to regulate metabolism,thus any deficiency results in ill health,imbalance and deformations. Scoliosis refers to skeletal deformations in the body of fish.The fish is bent backwards,head tilted and skin peeling.This condition is as a result of vitamin c deficiency, it also occurs when calcium or phosphorus is also lacking in feed.Skeletal deformations can also result from contamination of pond with heavy metals such as mercury. Calcium and phosphorus deficiency could also result in "running horse disease"; where fish swim violently in groups around sides of pond in uncoordinated manner.Fish could also appear darkened(burnt out) or sometimes black,these fish have smaller bodies and big head.This condition is linked to anaemia,and has been traced to incomplete feed. Fish feed must be balanced for the value to be noticed ,hence nutrients must be properly balanced and mixed. Atovi premix is an essential part of feed,its complete with needed nutrients at required levels. Atovi premix ensures growth and early harvest of fish.The premix ensures a blend and perfect balance of the feed,it enhances the metabolism of feed ensuring proper absorption and reduce amount of waste.The use of atovi help prevent build up of nitrogenous waste thus purifies pond,there is a balance in aigae bloom,hence no death of micro organisms in filter.The atovi premix ensures proper inter-cellular function,hence there is no incidence of diseases in fish fed atovi premix.

WATER RELATED PROBLEMS IN FISH FARMING.

Water parameters play a vital role in fish farming,these parameters are directly related to the stocking density ,feed and feeding technique.Oxygen levels in the pond must be maintained at 4mg/litre. The concentration can be altered when the weather changes such as excessive high temperature,this reduces the solubility of oxygen in the pond.This results in suffocation of the fish in the pond,this results in high mortality. The dissolved oxygen level is usually depleted in cases of heavy algae bloom,this results from excess use of manure in the pond.The amount of feed given at any point in time also imparts the level of oxygen.when there is overfeeding or just after feeding of the fish and there are excess feed in the pond because there is an increase in demand of oxygen to digest the feed.Overcrowding in the pond due to overstocking also depletes the oxygen concentration. The fish show signs when the water parameters are altered or when there is a compromise due to pathogenic agent.The fish crowd near the water surface gasping for air,they reject feed,they dont respond to noise and their sputum remains undissolved on water surface. The water in the pond should be changed and replaced with fresh water,stop feeding at this period and stop fertilization of the pond.The oxygen level is corrected by aerating the pond using air pumps/aerators to increase oxygen level. Ammonia level( 0.05mg/litre) is also another important health indicator.The feed components are the key factors,when feed content are not properly metabolized,they give off high levels of ammonia in waste material,leading to contamination of pond due to accumulation of waste at the bottom of the pond.The pond could also have high levels of ammonia,if there is a contamination of ponds by sewage waste due to a leak from sewage pipes. The fish responds by reducing feed intake and also come to the surface for air.The ammonia level can be corrected by using more easily metabolized feed ;this can be achieved by using atovi premix in fish feed.This ensures proper metabolism of feed without any ammonia buildup,thus maintaining the regular level of ammonia.The atovi premix acts on the feed,fish and water in the pond(read more about atovi and fish in previous posts).In ponds where atovi feed is not used,the pond level must be reduced,it must be flushed and clean water is added to oxygenate pond. Foul smelling /odor in the pond this is usually as a result of feeding uncooked offal's to the fish,this is a major cause of pollution in fish pond. The uncooked offal s usually crowd/clog the water surface,depleting oxygen concentration ,giving off foul odor with resultant death of fish. The effect is reversed by removing left over offal s on water surface,flush pond and fill pond with fresh clean water.The use of uncooked offal's should be stopped and use compounded ration instead. Fish health is hinged on good water parameters,feed quality,quantity and frequency of feeding,hence much attention must be given to these factors.Observation and good management protocol are the keys for a successful fish farming venture.