The benefits of Tilapia-Shrimp polyculture:
- Reduce the growth of Vibrio bacteria in water, control early mortality syndrome EMS (AHPND disease) in shrimp
- Take advantage of shrimp feed leftovers
- Stabilize pond environment, prevent pathogens arising, reduce shrimp mortality rate
Some methods of farming tilapia with shrimp:
- Combine shrimp and tilapia in the same pond: After 15 days of stocking shrimp, stock tilapia. With each 100,000 shrimp, stock 100 tilapia type 50 grams/fish. If there are too many fish in pond, they can grow too fast and compete with shrimp habitat. After 3 months of farming, shrimp and fish can be harvested. If farmers want larger fish, move tilapia to another pond and continue farming.
- Farm tilapia in netted cages in shrimp ponds: this model is the most applicable method; it is easy to harvest. In a 5000-square-meter shrimp pond, cover a 300-square-meter area with nets and stock 5000 tilapias in it.
- Raise tilapia in a separate pond, then transfer water from tilapia pond to shrimp ponds for farming
- Raise tilapia in a separate pond, and then transfer water from tilapia pond to shrimp ponds. Add on and farm a small number of tilapia in shrimp ponds.
Some notices of farming tilapia cages in shrimp ponds:
- For intensive shrimp ponds with aerators installed, place tilapia cages or netted areas in low-lying zones in the middle of the ponds. These cages and areas will account for 7-10% of each pond. Nets have sparse meshes (about 0.5 - 1 cm).
- Only stock unisexual, lage tilapia (type 15-20 fish/kg). Their size should be larger than meshes of the surrounding net. Stocking density should be at 6-8 tilapia/m2.
- In high-density shrimp pond, stock tilapia in cages or netted areas. There is no need of feeding. Ventilate the cages or nets once every 15 days.
Regularly change water in ponds (once every 1 month). Each time, replace 15-20% of water in ponds. Use of bioproducts (once every 10-15 days).
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