Raising fish Osteochilus vittatus is quite easy. Here are the steps to breed the fish on your own and get benefit from that.
Nilem fish (Osteochilus hasselti) is a native Indonesian fish that lives in freshwaters, such as rivers and swamps. Javanese and Sumatranese people love raising fish Osteochilus vittatus in the pond. The characteristics of Nilem fish are almost similar to goldfish. You can spot the similarity at the corners of its mouth; two pairs of tentacles function as a sense of touch. The tip of the mouth is pointed with a folded muzzle. This fish is quite popular because of its chewy and tasty meat.
However, the Nilem fish population is decreasing day by day due to exploitation and changes in the aquatic environment. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the technique for rearing Nilem fish to increase the population and ensure the sustainability of this fish. Let's get to know more about raising fish Osteochilus vittatus in the pond:
Prepare the pool
There are several things you can do to prepare a suitable pool to resemble its natural habitat. You can start by cleaning the pool. Then you are ready to turn the soil, drying, liming using CaO lime at a dose of 75-150 grams/m², and salting using salt at an amount of 75-150 grams/m². Leave the pool to dry for five days and fill it with water before raising fish Osteochilus vittatus in a pond.
Provide cultivation water
The provision of aquaculture water in the Nilem rearing pond comes from an eight m² filter tank that features a stainless steel filter. Then the water will begin to flow into the pool when you open the water inlet. Fill the water until it reaches the height of approximately 100-120 cm.
Feeding management
Nilem fish feed management includes the type of feed used, feeding technique, frequency of feeding time, and regular feeding provision.
To decide the proper feeding management, first, take note of the amount and size of fish. The dose of feed given to rearing Nilem fish is 3-5% of the total weight of the fish per day at 180 first days. The frequency of feeding is twice a day, in the morning and evening. You can spread the food on the edge of the pond in four different feeding points.
Monitor water quality
Other factors that affect water quality during rearing Nilem fish are temperature, acidity (pH), and dissolved oxygen (DO). Observations of water quality and temperature measurements should be conducted every day, in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Prevent pests and diseases
Osteochillus vittatus are prone to several infections, including those that come from pests. Pests can disrupt the development of the fish and kill them. When you breed Nilem, you should keep them safe from these pests: snakes, betok fish, cork fish, and frogs.
Protect your fish by making fences and wires on the barriers of aquaculture ponds. If there is sudden death in the breeding process, pour sente leaves (Alocasia sp.) and cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta).
Raising fish Osteochilus vittatus in a pond is an easy and beneficial thing to do. When you succeed at breeding them, you will see that there are many advantages you get. You can either sell the fish or make the fish natural pond cleaners.