Summers are here, and your fishes need special care and management at this time of the year. Fishes are cold-blooded animals, and they tend to grow faster in summer. At this point, it is essential to provide proper and scientific management so that you ensure healthy and maximum growth for your fish. We will provide you with some useful tips for fish farming in the summer. Here is the list:
1. Cover your pond with shades- In summer, as the temperature rises, the pond heats up, especially below the surface, and crosses the optimal temperature range. To avoid this, you may cover your pond with shades that can be natural or artificial. Natural shades include planting trees around your pond to block the sun’s rays to a certain level. You can use circular shaped or tress with large leaves for better results. Avoid planting deciduous trees. You can use a porch umbrella for artificial shades or create a cemented or asbestos shade.
2. Maintain a good Oxygen level- In summer, as the temperature raises significantly, the water becomes quite hot, resulting in a drop in oxygen level. Lesser oxygen can be quite lethal for all fishes. Though plants can be helpful, plants need oxygen at night, and thus it is ultimately not a great idea. It would help if you used something to aerate the water, like a fountain or pumps that would lead to vibration in the pond creating higher oxygen levels. Cleaning and changing 10% of the water, if possible, is also helpful in maintaining the oxygen level.
3. Provide a comfortable area for fishes on the surface- Fishes often come to the surface, sometimes for oxygen. If they come to the surface to take in the oxygen or atmospheric air, then make sure they get a comfortable area. To do this, provide better aeration, that is, better circulation, mixing, and dissolving of air in water. You can partially change the water if possible for better aeration. There should be areas on the surface that would be shaded so that the temperature is comparatively lower at that area and your fish could relax in them.
4. Always keep the water clean- The quality of your pond is of utmost importance, and you need to ensure its cleanliness. You should avoid letting the water stand for long and allow some movement there. You can also try changing one-tenth of the water if possible. As fishes eat and excrete in the pond itself, you should never overfeed them as the leftover food can eventually decay and dirty the pond by ammonia accumulation. It would be best to clean the bottom of the pond so that there is no algae deposit. Remember, unclean water has less oxygen than clean water, which can be lethal for your fish.
5. Keep healthy planktons in ponds- Your pond should be rich in healthy planktons which are also the natural food for fishes, and supplement them with proper diets. For healthy planktons, you may use organic manure along with inorganic fertilizers.
These tips for fish farming in summer can be quite useful in maintaining a good environment for the optimum growth of your fishes. It is important to know that along with a good environment and oxygen level, the right food is also needed. You can check JK Fish Feed for the right food for different species of fish. However, overfeeding your fish should be avoided in all cases.