Hito Raising or Catfish Culture

If you want to know tips and procedure how to culture Catfish or Hito, then this is the post your looking for.

Hito can be raised in a small pond. There are two common varieties of catfish in the Philippines—one that is our own native hito that thrives in rice fields and rivers, sometimes in muddy places; and the other one brought over from Thailand or Taiwan. Both kinds can be raised and grown commercially.

Within four months, hito can grow as big as a size weighing 300-400 grams or three in a kilo. In Taiwan, they grow hito as big as two kilos each.

Hito from Taiwan origin is dark gray with white belly.

Cage

1. For commercial purposes, one hectare of fish pond can rear as many as 100,000 small hito or fingerlings. In other countries like Thailand, they grow as many as 300,000 to 400,000 fingerlings in one hectare of fish pond.

2. The sides of the fishpond should be concrete so as to withstand flood or heavy rains. The smaller the grow-out ponds, the easier to manager them. (1 ½ hectare)

3. It is not necessary to provide an aerator even if the fish population is big because the hito has an auxiliary respiratory organ and can naturally breathe fresh air; therefore it is not stressed by low dissolved oxygen levels.

4. The ponds water depth must be about one and half meters ( ½ m) throughout the culture period. fresh water may be drawn from a nearby river. Change of water is done when it becomes murky.

Feed

Hito needs protein, so they like flesh meat. They can also thrive on any food growing in the pond bottom, or they can eat one another, or escape from the pond. So, they must be provided with enough protein foods—carcass, trash fish, commercial fish feed.

Some hito growers get their carcass feed from chicken or poultry internal organs, or trash fish from fishermen.

It takes four months to grow hito that is about 2 kilograms, or three-to-four-pieces per kilo.

Here is video:

NC Perante assisted in creating this blogpost. 

 Nelson Perante

 Nelson Perante

 Nelson Perante

 Nelson Perante

Alimango or Mud Crab Culture

Scylla serrata (often called mud crab or mangrove crab)i s an economically important crab species found in estuaries, mangroves, swamps and tidal waters, living both as a scavenger and a cannibal. Scylla serrata can be found all over the Philippines.

There has been a huge interest in the aquaculture of this species due to their high demand/price, high flesh content and rapid growth rates in captivity. The crab species Scylla serrata is the biggest and most important member of the family of edible crabs in the Philippines. Mud crab, or alimango, is considered a delicacy and has become a popular fare in seafood restaurants. It is sought for its very tasty aligue or ripe eggs in the ovary.

Crab farming has become an integral part of aquaculture in the country. This practice began in the early seventies when some fishpond operators in Bicol, Visayas, and Southern Tagalog started to culture crab as a subsidiary crop in milk fish or bangus ponds.

Breeding and spawning. The mating period of crabs is usually long. When mating, the female is carried by the male, clasping her with three pairs of walking legs. In this condition, it is very easy to catch them. After five days, the female is finally released by the male. Mating usually occurs for four months, during the period May to September. Prior to that, in April, the females develops eggs or aligue.

Crabs spawn in the sea. The newly hatched larvae called zoea are free-swimming. They are carried by the tide to the coast where they migrate to live-in estuaries, swamps and mangroves. Fertility is very high among females. As much as a million eggs can be laid but mortality is also high because of inclement climatic conditions.

Molting. This is an indispensable stage in the life cycle of crabs. During molting, they shed their covering or carapace. This happens when there is an abrupt increases in the size of their body. After shedding the old carapace, the crab is left with a very soft covering. It becomes an easy prey to other animals and survive, the crab buries itself under the mud until the soft shell hardens.

Culture and cultivation methods. Small crabs or crab seeds are caught by fishermen in seashores, swamps and other natural habitats. They are gathered and sold to fishponds operators.

Crabs are raised in brackish water fishponds. Crab and can be raised simultaneously. It is, however, not advisable to culture crabs together with prawns or sugpo, because when prawns undergo molting, crabs eat them.
Choosing the crab farm. Choosing a site for crab farming is not difficult. First, there should be adequate supply of estuarine water because good and stable salinity is conducive to growth. Smaller ponds are advisable since they are easier to manage. Make sure the soil is clay or clay loam. This kind of soil is capable of retaining water. If possible, the site should be free from floods. The depth of water is also important. Advisable depth is one meter to prevent exposure of cultured crabs and stop them from boring holes through the dikes. For easy harvesting, the site should have good drainage. This also facilities the practice of pond freshening whereby the water is cleansed by letting in fresh seawater. Available of crab seeds in the area is also important. This ensures a steady number of young crabs for rearing and the continued operation of your farm.

Managing the crab farm. For crab farming, the ponds are prepared just like any bangus fishpond but the side of the dikes should be very firm to discourage the crabs from burrowing through. Place banatan or bamboo screen along main dikes to prevent escape of crabs. About 2,000 to 4,000 crab seeds, 2 to 5 cm in length and size, would be needed initially. Stock them directly in the rearing ponds. Feeding is not a problem since young crabs feed on algae and decaying organic matter. As they grow, crabs become carnivorous. Supplement their feed with trash fish and leftover food. Their rate of growth is rather slow. It takes five to six months for crabs to grow into marketable sizes.

Application of fertilizer is helpful. This enhanced the growth of natural food like moss in the ponds.

Harvesting. This is done with different kinds of trap like the bamboo cage, lift net, scissors net, fish corrals and gill nets. Crabs are ready for the harvest and marketing when the piece or two reaches up to a kilo. They are sold alive and can stay out of the water even for a week. They should, however, be kept in damp containers and periodic moistening is important. Feed them with trash fish and other kitchen refuse.

Handling. Adult crabs in captivity are tied with dried nipa strings. Both pincers are tied close to the abdominal cavity to prevent crawling. When transported, proper handling is important. Place them in baskets or tiklis to avoid getting trampled or crushed.


Source: DOST, photo courtesy of www.roxascity.gov.ph

NC Perante assisted in creating this blogpost.