A farm pond built for irrigation can produce fish at the same time. The water is still available for irrigation, and the fish add income from an asset that is otherwise doing one job.
The combination works, but it needs the pond to hold water for long enough and it changes how you manage the water.
Is Your Pond Suitable?
Before stocking, check:
- Water retention — the pond must hold water for the culture period. A pond that dries in three months cannot grow fish to marketable size
- Depth — adequate depth is needed so water does not overheat and fish have refuge
- Water source — a way to top up during dry spells
- No contamination — runoff carrying pesticide from sprayed fields will kill fish
That last point deserves attention. If your pond collects runoff from fields you spray, fish mortality after a spray event is likely.
Composite Culture
The standard approach in India is to stock several species together that feed at different levels of the pond, so the whole water column is used.
- Surface feeders — catla, silver carp
- Column feeders — rohu
- Bottom feeders — mrigal, common carp
- Weed feeder — grass carp, useful where aquatic weeds are a problem
The proportions in which these are stocked depend on your pond, water quality and the market. Get a stocking plan from your district fisheries officer rather than guessing — over-stocking is the most common beginner mistake and it results in slow growth and oxygen problems.
Pond Preparation
- Drain and dry the pond bed if possible, which kills unwanted fish and pathogens
- Remove predatory and weed fish — these compete with or eat your stock
- Apply lime as recommended, which corrects acidity and helps sterilise the bed
- Apply organic manure to promote plankton, the natural food base
- Fill and wait for plankton to develop before stocking — the water should take on a light green tinge
Stocking
Buy fingerlings from a reliable hatchery. Larger fingerlings survive better than very small ones, and the survival difference usually outweighs the higher cost.
Acclimatise before release: float the transport bag in the pond for a while so temperatures equalise, then let pond water in gradually before releasing. Dumping fingerlings straight into water of a different temperature causes heavy mortality.
Stock in the cool hours of early morning or evening.
Feeding
Natural plankton provides part of the diet. Supplementary feeding — commonly rice bran and oil cake, or formulated pellet feed — is what determines growth rate.
Feed at a fixed spot and a fixed time each day. Fish learn the routine, which reduces waste and lets you observe them. Uneaten feed left in the pond decomposes and degrades water quality.
Maintain plankton with periodic manuring as advised, but do not overdo it.
Water Quality Signs to Watch
You do not need testing equipment to spot the main problems:
- Fish gulping at the surface in early morning — low dissolved oxygen. This is the most common cause of sudden mass mortality. Causes include over-stocking, over-feeding, excess organic matter, and dense algal bloom followed by a cloudy day
- Dark green or blue-green scum — excessive algal bloom. Reduce manuring and feeding
- Very clear water — too little plankton, meaning too little natural food
- Fish rubbing against surfaces — possible parasite problem
Response to low oxygen is to stop feeding immediately, stop manuring, and increase water movement or exchange fresh water if possible.
Harvesting
Fish are harvested by netting, usually after several months to a year depending on species and target size. Partial harvesting — taking the larger fish and leaving smaller ones to grow — spreads income and reduces stocking density.
Harvest in the cool hours and get fish to market quickly. Fresh fish command a substantially better price.
Support Available
Fisheries development schemes provide support for pond construction, renovation, inputs and training in many states. Your district fisheries office is the place to ask what is currently available and to get a stocking plan suited to your pond.
Safety
Any water body on a farm is a drowning risk, particularly for children. Fence the pond, provide a gently sloping exit or steps, and keep a rope or pole at the edge. This applies whether or not you stock fish.
Species selection, stocking densities and management practices vary by region and water conditions. Consult your district fisheries office before stocking.
