Snakehead Fish Pond: Types, Advantages, and Stocking Density

Success snakehead fish farming depending on how the cultivator manages a good snakehead fish pond. Because the pond is the main supporting medium besides feed to accelerate the growth of cork.

Snakehead fish is one of the freshwater fish commodities that can be cultivated and is profitable. Even though it is less famous than catfish and carp, cork is not only a consumption fish. There are types of cork that can be consumed and those that can be used as ornamental fish or hobbies.

In order for the cork fish cultivation process to produce maximum yields, you should start thinking about preparing the right and proper snakehead fish pond.

Types of Cork Fish Ponds

There are 3 types of snakehead fish ponds that can be used as cork cultivation media, including earthen ponds, tarpaulins and concrete ponds. The three types of ponds have their respective advantages.

To determine what type of pond you will use, the tip is to choose the type of pond that is suitable for the type of land, environmental conditions and the capital that has been prepared. The following describes the advantages of each pool.

1. Ground Pool

You need a small amount of capital to build an earthen pond. Because cultivators only need a hoe and soil. However, to determine what kind of land to use must be careful. The quality of the soil will affect the quality of the water. 

In addition, fertile soil can increase the amount of plankton so that the availability of natural food for cork is fulfilled. The advantages of other land pools, among others:

• Maintaining the mental stability of fish so they don't get stressed by presenting an ecosystem that resembles their natural habitat.
• The availability of abundant natural food such as plankton, microscopic substances, small fish to tiny shrimp.
• Water quality is guaranteed especially if the location of the pond is near a water source such as a river.

2. Tarpaulin Pool

Apart from earthen ponds, cultivators who have limited funds for building cultivation media can use tarpaulin ponds. This is because the capital needed to make a tarpaulin pond is only a tarpaulin and a framework to support the pond. Pond frames can also be made of wood or bamboo.

Currently the use of tarpaulin ponds is a trend among cultivators because apart from the low cost of making ponds, these ponds are more flexible and can be moved anywhere the owner likes.

Following are the advantages of tarpaulin ponds as a choice for snakehead fish farming ponds, including:

• Maintain the pool temperature because this type of tarpaulin pool can withstand pool water fluctuations.
• Mud production is less than earthen ponds, making it easier for cultivators when entering the harvest season, pond conditions are not slippery.
• Ponds do not emit odors due to little or no soil, lack of algae and bad bacteria that produce odors.
• Simplify the process of cleaning the pool so as to prevent the emergence of pests.
• Tarpaulin ponds are the right choice if the cultivation location is in a sandy area.
• Tarpaulin ponds are the right choice if the cultivation location is far from water sources.
• The pool is not easy to leak.
• Facilitate monitoring of cork health conditions.

3. Concrete Pool

Just like the previous type of cork fish pond, this type of concrete pond has its own advantages, namely:

• The durability of the pool is much longer than other types of pools, it is not easily damaged or leaks so it can be used for the long term.
• Can prevent the entry of cork predators or pests.
• Simplify the installation of systems and water filtration.
• Water quality is maintained because it is not easily polluted by mud and soil.
• The pool is easy to clean.
• Facilitate harvesting.
• Harvested snakehead fish does not emit an unpleasant odor that comes from mud and soil.

Even so, you need to prepare the cost of making a pool that is quite large to build a concrete pool. The duration of making a pond is much longer than the other two types of ponds.

In addition, concrete ponds accelerate the increase in stress on the snakehead fish because the ecosystem created is very different from its natural habitat. However, there are many ways you can do to make snakehead fish comfortable in concrete ponds. For example, by processing and maintaining the quality of pond water.

Scattering Density Capacity of Snakehead Fish Seeds

Furthermore, the factors that need to be considered by cultivators so that the snakehead fish cultivation process is successful is knowing the stocking density capacity and the right size of the snakehead fish pond. In short, stocking density is the ideal number of snakehead fish for a certain size snakehead fish pond.

The reason for the importance of considering the stocking density of snakehead fish ponds is so that the size of the pond is not too narrow so that the snakehead fish can move and swim freely. However, the size of the pond is also not wider than the number of fish because this can be detrimental from a business perspective.

Ideally, the stocking density of snakehead fish ranges from 15-30 fish/m2. As for cork fish seeds The minimum stocked size is 3-4 cm and the maximum size is 5-7 cm. If calculated, for a pond measuring 100 m2 it can accommodate a minimum of 1500 fish and a maximum of 3000 depending on the size. 

Meanwhile, the ideal size for snakehead fish ponds is around 8x5x3 m, while the ideal water depth for snakehead fish ponds is between 40-60 cm. The fish will be kept for 5-7 months until the harvest arrives.