Principal component analysis of interactions between fish species and the ecological conditions in fish ponds: I. Phytoplankton*

Abstract. Interactions between fish species and their effect on the ecological conditions in the fish pond were studied in ten ponds of 0.1 ha each. The ponds were stocked with bottom-feeding fish: common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., and male hybrid tilapia Oreochromis niioticus (L.) x O. aureus (Steindachner). and a filter-feeder: silver carp, Hypophthalmichtys molitrix (Valenciennes), in various combinations. This paper deals with the effect of different assemblages of these fishes on the phytoplankton populations in the ponds. A Principal Component Analysis of the data showed that only 20% of the phytoplanktonic variability is accounted for by the fish combination present in the pond (treatment). The first principal component (PCI) groups the species of phytoplankton which responded to treatment. This component is formed by small size species; Scenedesmus spp., small Chlorophytes (mainly Chlorella), Selenastrum minutum, Ankistrodesmus setigerus, Merismopedia minima and Diatoms of the order Pennales. The presence of silver carp led to an increase in total phytoplankton numbers, concurrently with a decrease in their dominant size. This was due to the predominance in the water of the small size species of the PCI group, which could not be retained by the gill filtering apparatus of the fish. Reduction in zooplankton abundance by silver carp also contributed to this situation. The presence of bottom-feeding fish resulted in a decrease in total phytoplankton numbers, and in the importance of the small-size species of the PCI group, and hence in the dominance of larger algae. The interactions between these two trophic types of fish and algae size are discussed.     

The effect of fish species combination in fish ponds on plankton composition

Abstract. In continuation of an experiment carried out in 1983, the effect of polyculture of bottom-feeding fish (common carp. Cyprinus carpio L.; tilapia hybrids, Oreochromis nilolicus (L.) × O. aureus (Steindadner); and grey mullet, Mugil cephalus (L.) and a filter-feeding fish (silver carp. Hypopluhalmichtys molitrix (Valenciennes)) on the nannoplankton and netplanklon has been studied. This effect was analysed through principal component analysis. The results confirmed the linding of 1983 that the presence of silver carp in a pond, either alone or with bottom-feeding fish, results in a decrease in netplankton (phylo- and zooplankton) and an increase in nannoplankton which passes through the tiller apparatus of the fish. The effect of the silver carp seems to be related more to its numerical density than to its individual weight, since the effect diminished with the decrease in density during 1983–1985. It became least pronounced when the density was 400/ha. Bottom-feeding fish enhance the development of the larger nannoplankton by bringing up nutrients from the bottom, but reduce the number of the netplankton (mainly zooplankton) as compared to the control pond without lish. This effect was more apparent at a higher density of tilapia. but was masked when silver carp was present.     

Bacterial composition,abundance and diversity in fish polyculture and mussel–fish integrated cultured ponds in China

Bacterial community and abiotic environmental parameters in twelve freshwater aquaculture ponds were analysed. According to the major component of stocked animals, the ponds were grouped into four types: black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus, largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco and pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii ponds. Each type of pond was stocked with three species of Chinese carps (silver carp, bighead carp and gibel carp) to form a unique mode of fish polyculture or mussel–fish integrated culture. The bacterial composition was identified using 16S rDNA sequencing. Totally, 3701 and 11 150 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from the water and sediment samples respectively. The number of OTUs, abundance‐based coverage estimator, Chao1 index and Shannon diversity index were lower in the water column than in the sediment, suggesting that diversity and stability of bacterial community were higher in the sediment. In the water column, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes dominated at the phylum level, and 26 dominant genera were identified. In the sediment, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria and Nitrospirae dominated at the phylum level, and 25 dominant genera were identified. Bacterial compositions between the ponds with different aquaculture modes were similar at the phylum levels, but varied at the genus levels. The bacterial composition in the ponds was correlated with hardness, ammonia and total nitrogen in the water column. This study indicates that the type of aquaculture mode is a factor regulating the microbial community, which provides an insight towards microbial management through probiotic manipulation in pond culture.     

Effects of introducing ducks into fish ponds on water quality, natural productivity and fish production together with the economic evaluation of the integrated and non-integrated systems

Raising ducks on fish ponds (fish-duck culture) on a commercial scale is a new practice in Egypt, therefore, a study was undertaken to evaluate this practice from production, carcass composition and economic viewpoints.Five earthern ponds were used in the non-integrated system (no ducks) whereas four earthen ponds, in which each pond was supplied with 125 Pecking ducks per 0.42 ha, were used for the Integrated system. In both systems, each pond was stocked with four species of fish (common carp Cyprinus carpio, silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Grey mullet Mugil cephalus and tilapias Oreochromis niloticusand O. aureus) at the same densities.There were no differences in temperature or pH in any of the ponds but dissolved oxygen levels were lower in integrated ponds concomitant with increasing levels of ammonia, phosphate and nitrate. Water in integrated ponds was richer in natural productivity (phytoplankton and zooplankton) either in species or density when compared with those variables in non-integrated ponds.Fish species reared in integrated ponds exhibited better body weight, food conversion and protein efficiency ratios compared with those of fish species in the non-integrated ponds. Fish yield per 0.42 ha produced from the integrated ponds was significantly higher than that obtained from non-integrated ones. Also, body composition of fish species was affected by the type of farming. Carcass crude protein of grey mullet, silver carp and tilapia was improved in the integrated system. The data on return on sales, return on costs, return on equity, pay-back period and break-even point showed that the integrated system was more profitable than the non-integrated system.     

The effect of fish density and species combination on growth and utilization of natural food in ponds

Abstract. Interactions between bottom-feeding fish (common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., and hybrid tilapia) and a filter feeder (silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes)) in polyculture were studied in fertilized ponds with no supplementary feeding. The silver carp were stocked at two densities: 1300 and 2600/ha. Growth rate and yield of each of the species were also compared with those in polyculture of bottom feeders alone, and in a monoculture of silver carp alone, at the same densities. The consumption of natural feed as melabolizable energy (ME) was calculated by the energy balance (requirement for maintenance and growth divided by the utilization efficiency).
Increasing the density of silver carp reduced proportionally their own growth rate, due to the limited amount of food. Above a density of about 1000/ha, silver carp inhibit the growth rate of common carp and tilapia. This inhibition was small at 1300 silver carp/ha, but considerable at 2600/ha. However, the presence of bottom feeders increased the growth rate of silver carp at both densities. Calculated natural food consumption showed that growth interactions between species were brought about through the availability of food. The synergistic effect of the bottom-feeding fish on the silver carp is assumed to be due to the upwelling of bottom nutrients to the upper layers of water by the burrowing of the fish in the mud. Combined yield of all species in the polyculture was highest at the density of 1300 silver carp/ha (2116 kg/ha in 156 days). At 2600 silver carp/ha the inhibition of growth rate of silver carp itself, reduced total yield as compared with the lower density.     

Effects of introduction of common carp, Cyprinus carpio (L.), on the pond ecology and growth of fish in polyculture

The effects of introduction of common carp, Cyprinus carpio (L.). in polyculture with major Indian carps and silver carp were studied in fertilized and fed earthen ponds in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Bottom-dwelling common carp were found to exert an influence on the quality and quantity of planktonic food organisms. The presence of common carp significantly increased (P < 0.05) the growth of other carps including the bottom-feeder mrigal. Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton). A significantly higher fish yield (P < 0.05) was observed in the fish ponds containing common carp when the combined yields of all species in three treatments were compared.     

Fish-management relationships in Israeli commercial fish farming

To analyse the relationships among fish species performance and management procedures, a database was built up with data from 31 fish farms during the period 1976–1987 (1673 observations) and analysed through multivariate statistics (factor analysis). The data include nurseries, grow-out and operational ponds with mono- and polycultures of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, tilapia hybrid, Oreochromis niloticus × O. aureus, silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, and mullet, Mugil cephalus. The main conclusions include the following. (1) The highest total yields and best tilapia performances were obtained in polyculture ponds where tilapia was the main species. (2) The best carp performances occurred in grow-out polyculture ponds where carp was the main species. Carp performance was improved in polycultures with mullet and silver carp, irrespective of whether tilapia were present or not. (3) Carp and tilapia yields increased as the nutritional inputs (feed pellets, sorghum pellets, manure), pond size and culture duration increased. The effect of the nutritional input was not linear, but logarithmic. (4) Growth rate of common carp was more affected by total density and stocking size than that of tilapia. Better carp and tilapia growth occurred in grow-out ponds when stocked at large sizes and cultured during short periods, mainly when both species were present. (5) Carp growth varied with the geographical region and size of fish pond, being better in smaller than in larger ponds due to reduced access to natural benthic food in deep ponds.     

Gut contents of silver carp — Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.) — and some trophic relations to other fish species in a polyculture system

This work is a continuation of the studies conducted in the ponds of the Fish and Aquaculture Research Station, Dor, in 1975 concerning the components of fish feed under conditions of polyculture, with additional food and intensive fertilization.A study was made of the food eaten by the silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.), grown with or without supplementary food in ponds that had previously been used for storage of fish fed on pellets (ponds Types 1 and 3), or which had been kept dry for various periods of time (ponds Types 2 and 4).The special pattern of its gills, which are adapted to retain suspended organisms and particles of sizes less than 20 μm, enables the silver carp to filter enormous quantities of phytoplankton and organic particles.A comparative study was made of the trophic relations existing between Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.), Cyprinus carpio (L.) and Tilapia aurea Steindachner, which were the principal species in the polyculture system, and of the influence of the type of pond used on the growth of the fish.     

Effects of feeding rates on growth and production of Nile tilapia, common carp and silver carp polycultured in fertilized ponds

Abstract In an attempt to identify appropriate feeding rates for multispecies of fish raised in fertilized earthen ponds, the present work was conducted over a 19‐week experimental period to establish the growth performance, production and body composition of Nile tilapia, common carp and silver carp fed 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 3.0%, 5.0% biomass and to apparent satiation (treatments). Twelve ponds were stocked with a similar number and weight of each fish species. Two ponds were assigned to each of the treatments, and a 25% protein pelleted fish feed was used to feed fish at the specified rate of feeding. At the end of the experiment, growth, weight gain, survival, yield and body composition of fish groups were affected by the treatments. The economic effectiveness also varied among treatments. The most conspicuous attribute of the feeding rates was its lack of influence on growth (g day^?1), weight gain (g per fish), yield (kg ha^?1) or body composition of silver carp. The results of whole‐body proximate analysis indicated that various feeding rates had either an irregular pattern or no effects on the protein and ash gain per 100 g of fish body weight (bw) gain. The most notable exceptions were significant (P < 0.05) increases in body fat and gross energy gains in Nile tilapia, common carp and silver carp accompanied by decreases in percentages of moisture (but not in silver carp) as feeding rate increased. Among the six different feeding levels, feeding to apparent satiation (feed amount was equivalent to 2.67% of fish bw day^?1) appeared to be optimal, as it significantly (P < 0.05) supported the highest fish production, income and net profit compared with all other treatments except for the 3% feeding level, for which the differences in those measurements were comparable.     

Strategies and Tactics for Larval Culture of Commercially Important Carp

This paper reviews state-of-the-art techniques for culture of larval common carp, Cyprinus carpio, silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, bighead carp, H. nobilis, and grass carp, Crenopharyngodon idella. Water temperature, food, and predation are important factors influencing larval survival and growth. Lower and upper lethal temperatures range from 3 to 44°C. Optimum growth temperatures range from 38 to 40°C. Lethal and optimum temperatures vary with acclimation temperature, fish age, and development stage of fish. Water temperatures are close to optimum for larval culture in tropical regions but are often too low in temperate climates. Intensive culture in temperature-controlled systems is important in temperate climates. The first food eaten by larvae in ponds consists mainly of protozoa, rotifers, and copepod nauplii. As fhe larvae grow, they quickly shift to larger food items, including cladocera and insect larvae. Management practices to enhance natural food development in earthen ponds include bottom drying, soil preparation, liming, fertilization, and agricultural crop cultivation. The development of food organisms in freshly filled ponds follows a pattern of succession. For best results, a pond should be stocked at the stage of succession when the size relationship between fish larvae (predators) and zooplankton (prey) is proper. A common practice is to stock larvae 3-7 days after filling. If ponds are filled too long before larvae are stocked, food relationships between fish and invertebrates can be reversed. Predator control includes biological, chemical, physical, and mechanical methods. Although great progress has been made in the development of dry starter diets, prepared feeds are not yet available for successful large-scale production. This problem is usually overcome by starting larvae with live food or with a mixture of live food and dry feed and by shifting larvae to dry diets as they grow. Live food either is collected from zooplankton ponds or is produced in intensive culture conditions. Systems for larval culture can range from ponds to intensive culture with water recirculation systems. Choice of the best system depends on the local climate, technical, and socio-economic conditions.     

Integration of duck and fish farming: Experimental results

In 1977 and 1978, two fish ponds at the Dor Aquaculture Experiment Station were integrated with duck production. Each pond's area was 400 m² and they were stocked with a polyculture of common carp, Tilapia, silver carp and grass carp (White Amur). The ducks were fed with prepared, nutritionally balanced feed, while the fish had to get by with the ducks' droppings plus the feed dropped directly from the ducks' beaks into the ponds. The ducks' performance on the ponds was superior to their ‘land’ control in growth rate, feed efficiency, viability and cleanness of feathers and skin. The average daily gain of the fish was 38.5 kg ha^?1, not significantly different from ponds receiving similar mixtures of dry poultry manure plus supplementary feeds.Our experimental results provide necessary empirical support to the conclusion that the system is very efficient and its use should be expanded in warm water aquaculture.     

Food habits and growth of silver and bighead carp in cages and ponds

Analysis of intestinal contents of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) showed that silver carp consumed primarily phytoplankton while bighead carp consumed large quantities of zooplankton and detritus in addition to phytoplankton. The size of particles filtered by the bighead carp was larger (17–3,000 μm) than that filtered by silver carp (8–100 μm). Artificial feed was readily consumed by bighead carp but not by silver carp. No growth difference was indicated for silver carp in fertilized ponds and ponds receiving artificial feed. Growth of bighead carp increased substantially with the addition of artificial feed. Silver carp grew more rapidly in cages than bighead carp.     

Combined effects of fertilization rate, manuring and feed pellet application on fish performance and water quality in polyculture ponds

This study analyses the combined effects of organic and inorganic fertilization and of feeding with pellets on fish performance and water quality in a polyculture of common carp. Cyprinus Carpio L., silver carp. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.), grass carp. Ctenopharyngodon idella (Val.) and hybrid tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L. x O. aureus Stetndachner. Experiments included six treatments, which are combinations of inorganic fertilisation (daily or fortnightly), manuring (supplied or not), feed pellets (supplied or not) and density of phytoplanktivorous fish species (high-density treatments with 50% more hybrid tilapia and 300% more silver carp than low-density treatments). The effects of the management procedures on fish weight, growth, survival and yield. plankton abundance, water quality, and their complex interactions at the different levels of the natural food web were analysed. The hypothesis that daily fertilization should increase algal production, which in turn should sustain a higher density of phytoplanktivorous fish, proved to be correct within certain limits. Algal reproduction rate was higher under daily fertilization, pointing to better supply of food for herbivorous fish, while algal biomass was similar under both fertilization regimes, pointing to the utilization of that algal food supply. The increased algal food supply sustained a 50% density increase of the omnivorous tilapia, but not the 300% density increase of the grazer silver carp.     

Growth and Food Habits of Cage-Cultured Bighead Carp x Silver Carp Hybrids in Ponds of Varying Trophic Status

Four 20m³ cages stocked with 120 bighead carp x silver carp hybrids per cage were placed in each of four ponds varying in trophic status from mesotrophic to hypereutophic. Fish were cultured, without feeding, from 13 March to 1 Octorber 1987. Fish in the mesotrophic pond survived but lost weight (-0.37 g/fish/d). The mesotrophic pond produced insufficient food to sustain fish growth. Maximum fish growth rate occured in the two eutotrophic ponds (6.61vand 7/04 g/fish/d). Fish growth in the hypereutrophic pond was about one-half (3.64 g/fish/d) that in the two eutrophic ponds. Guy analysis of fish in the hypereutrophic pond revealed consumption of larger quantities (P < 0.05) of colonial blue-green algae that were apparently poorly digested and less (P < 0.05) zooplankton (primarily cladocerans) than was found in fish from the eutrophic ponds.     

Polyculture of silver barb, Puntius gonionotus (Bleeker), Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), and common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., in Vietnamese ricefields: feeding ecology and impact on rice and ricefield environment

Rice production, ricefield environment and the feeding ecology offish were studied in an experiment conducted at a rice-fish station in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. In total, six treatments (three replicates) were investigated: four different polyculture combinations of small sized silver barb, Puntius gonionotus (Bleeker), Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), and common carp, Cyprinuso carpio L.; one treatment with pre-grown fingerlings; and a control treatment in which no fish were stocked. No insecticides or fungicides were utilized before or during the experiment. Frequent fertilization of the water and a low rice plant biomass during the early vegetative growth phase stimulated the development of phytoplankton and zooplankton. The total weed biomass was low (maximum = 5.3 g dry weight m^?2) and not significantly (P < 0.05) different between the treatments. A major component of the silver barb diet consisted of rice plants and accessible grains. However, the introduction of silver barb only had a significant effect on the number of rice tillers in the ratoon crop and not on the paddy yield. The quantitative differences in the diets of tilapia and common carp were minimal: both species fed mostly on detritus. Ricefields without silver barb produced the highest paddy yield (3120 kg ha^?1). The total yield of introduced fish increased after increasing the stocking density of silver barb from 319.9 to 494.1 kg ha-¹. The highest fish yield (541.8 kg ha-1) was obtained by stocking pre-grown fingerlings in the ricefields.     

Low-density silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) polyculture does not prevent cyanobacterial off-flavours in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) were co‐cultured with channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) in 0.4 ha earthen ponds to determine the impacts of carp grazing on pond phytoplankton communities and cyanobacterial off‐flavours in catfish. Carp were stocked at densities of 0, 75, or 250 fish ha^?1 in seven replicate ponds per treatment. The mean chlorophyll a concentrations (a measure of phytoplankton standing crop) steadily increased in all treatments from about 100 μg L^?1 in April to more than 400 μg L^?1 by mid‐October. Silver carp had no affect (P>0.1) on chlorophyll a concentrations across all sampling dates (April though October) or for sampling dates late in the growing season (August–October) when the prevalence of cyanobacterial off‐flavours among catfish populations is usually greatest. Silver carp did not eliminate odour‐producing cyanobacteria from pond phytoplankton communities: on sampling dates in September and October, three to six ponds in all treatments contained populations of the odour‐producing cyanobacteria Oscillatoria perornata, Anabaena spp., or both. Failure of silver carp to eliminate odour‐producing cyanobacteria resulted in a relatively high incidence in all treatments of ponds with off‐flavoured catfish. On sampling dates in September and October, catfish in three to five ponds in each treatment were tainted with either musty (2‐methylisoborneol) or earthy (geosmin) off‐flavours. The presence of silver carp had no obvious effect on off‐flavour intensity: on each sampling date, at least three ponds in each treatment contained catfish described as distinctly to extremely off‐flavored. Apparently, hypertrophic conditions in catfish ponds overwhelm the effect of silver carp grazing at the low carp densities used in this study.     

Factors affecting outbreaks of epizootic ulcerative syndrome in farmed fish in Bangladesh*

Abstract. Among 257 Bangladesh fish ponds investigated, 46% were affected by epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) either fully or partially. Thai silver barb, Puntius gonionotus (Bleeker), culture ponds were worst affected (64%) by EUS, while all Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), monoculture ponds remained unaffected. Stocking of silver barb for culture, use of piscicides as means of moving predators or unwanted species prior to stocking of cultured species, and culture of fish in previously derelict ponds are factors which significantly affected the probability of occurrence of EUS. Choice of species other than silver barb and use of lime during the post-stocking period significantly affected the probability of pond stocks being less adversely affected by EUS.     

POLYCULTURE OF THE FRESHWATER PRAWN (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) WITH TWO COMBINATIONS OF CARPS IN MANURED PONDS

A study was conducted to 1) evaluate the compatibility of prawns (Macrobrachiurn rosenbergii) with carps, especially the effect of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio); and 2) measure the ability of prawns to utilize the foods available in manured systems. Carps used were the silver (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead (Aristichthys nobilis), grass (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Four ponds (0.09 to 0.17 ha) were stocked with silver, bighead and grass carps while common carp were stocked in only two ponds. Total fish densities were 8,600/ha where four carps were stocked, but only 6,200/ha when common carp were omitted. Post-larval prawns (wt 0.116 g) were stocked at densities of 17/m². Swine (approximately 60/ha of pond surface area) were housed on pond dikes so that fresh manure continuously entered each pond. Two lots of swine were fattened during the experimental period and loadings of swine manure were calculated based on hog size and feed consumption. Growth periods were 163 days for fish and 107 and 121 days for separate stockings of prawns. Gains in biomass by prawns averaged 714 kg/ha in ponds without common carp and 364 kg/ha in ponds containing common carp. Gains in biomass for both fish and prawns were 3,619 kg/ha (19.8 kg/ha/day) in ponds with common carp and 2,924 kg/ha (18.0 kg/ha/day) in those without common carp. Prawn survival was higher (X = 84.5% vs X = 72.5%), but final average weight of prawns was lower (2.64 vs 5.86 g) in the presence of common carp due to competition for food between common carp and prawns. Competition from carp is believed to have exerted less influence on prawn survival than predation on small prawns by larger, faster-growing prawns.     

Effects of common carp Cyprinus carpio (L.) and feed addition in rohu Labeo rohita (Hamilton) ponds on nutrient partitioning among fish, plankton and benthos

The effects of introducing common carp (CC) and of adding artificial feed to fertilized rohu ponds on water quality and nutrient accumulation efficiency were studied. All ponds were stocked with 15 000 rohu ha^?1. Treatments included ponds with rohu alone, rohu plus 5000 common carp ha^?1 and rohu plus 10 000 CC ha^?1. A comparison was also made between supplementally fed and non‐fed ponds. The overall highest nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations were observed in ponds with 5000 CC ha^?1, followed by ponds with 10 000 and 0 CC ha^?1. The largest fractions of N and P inputs accumulating in fish, phytoplankton and zooplankton were observed in ponds with 5000 CC ha^?1, followed by ponds with 10 000 CC ha^?1 and subsequently ponds without CC. Relatively more nutrients accumulated in benthic organisms in ponds without than in ponds with CC. A smaller fraction of the nutrient input was retained in fish, plankton and benthic organisms in ponds without CC compared with ponds with CC. Compared with 5000 CC ha^?1, stocking 10 000 CC ha^?1 can be considered as overstocking, because this leads to lower fish production and relatively less nutrients retained in plankton and benthic organisms.     

A new high in fish production in India with record yields by composite fish culture in freshwater ponds

Composite fish culture of the Indian major carp, Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala together with the Chinese silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella and the Indonesian strain of common carp (Cyprinus carpio communis) was carried out in experimental ponds in 1971–1972 and 1973–1974. The management techniques adopted aimed at high yields of marketable fish (around 1 kg) in 1 year.In the first year, production varied from 3 889 to 5 600 kg/ha/year and this rose to an average of 8 200 kg/ha/year with a maximum of 9 389 kg/ha/year in the second year. The important changes made to the management schedule in 1973 were increased stocking density, greater use of feed and fertilizers, and provision of more weeds for grass carp.The experimental studies demonstrate the practicability of raising large crops of healthy marketable fish in India.