fish species and their way of choice to selection

1. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
OF FISH SPECIES

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF FISH
FOR CULTURE
The cultivable fishes :
 Should have fast growth rate
 Ability to feed on natural feed and artificial diet
 Should be hard and resistance to diseases
 Should be herbivorous in nature
 Able to tolerate sudden change in climatic conditions
and nature of water in ponds
 Able to live in confined conditions
 Successfully reproduce under conditions of rearing

3.  Should be compassionable and compatible with other
species of fishes under poly and composite culture
 Should be palatable and of much nutritive value
 Not be predaceous
 Have low bone to flesh ratio
 Survive under temporary bad water conditions and
hardships of transport
 Support high population density in the pond
 Able to withstand inter and intra specific competition
 Assurance of an easy and regular supply of fish seed

4. Types of cultivable fishes
 Indigenous or the native fresh water fish like carps
 Salt water fishes that are acclimatized to fresh water
like the chanos and mullets
 Exotic fish like the mirror carp, Chinese carp, Tilapia
etc
 Feed on zooplankton , phytoplankton, decaying weed,
debris and other aquatic plants
 Have resistance to high temperature and turbid water
 Tolerate low oxygen content
 Attain a reasonably large size in short time
 They breed profusely

5. Culturable species of fishes
 Rohu Labeo rohita
 Thaila Catla catla
 Mori Cirrhinus mrigala
 Grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella
 Silver carp Hypophthylmicthys molitrix
 Bighead carp Aristicthys nobilis
 Common carp Cyprinus carpio
 Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
 Brown Trout Salmo trauta fario
 Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus
 Mahaseer Tor pituitora
 Chana marrulius and Mystis seenghara

6. Labeo Rohita (Rohu)
 Locally known as “Rohu” or “Dumbra”
 Most important food fish of Pakistan
 Most popular fish for food and angling
 Distribution: (Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sirilanka,
Bangladesh)
 Body moderately elongated; small pointed head;
mouth terminal and semi-oval
 Bluish gray at back , silvery at sides
 Optimum temperature 24-32C

7.  Feed: Fingerlings (Phytoplankton & Zooplanktons)
Adult herbivores, feed in column region
 Growth 1.5-2 kg/year
 Breeding: June to August in running water
 Fecundity: about 2 lac/kg

8. Catla catla (Thaila)
 Locally known as “Thaila” or Thaili
 Popular marketable fish
 Pakistan, India, Nepal, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Burma
 Body short, deep with conspicuous head, large
upturned mouth, dorsal profile is more convex
 Optimum temperature 24-32C
 Feed: Fingerling & adult (Zooplankton & insects larvae
surface feeder
 Growth 3kg/year
 Breeding: June to August- 4 lac eggs/5kg

9. Cirrhinus mrigala (Mori)
 Locally called as Morakhi or Mori
 Body moderately elongated with rounded abdomen,
small head with blunt snout, bright silvery body with
golden tinge.
 Distribution: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, Burma
 Optimum Temperature: 24-32C
 Feed: Fingerlings (Zooplankton & insects larvae) Adult
detrivorous, decaying organic and vegetable debris.
 Growth: 1.5-2kg/year
 Breeding: June –August, 2lac eggs/kg

10. Ctenophyrangodon idella
(Grass Carp)
 Exotic species, introduced in Pakistan in 1984 from
China.
 Control of aquatic weeds
 Body elongated with rounded snout, head broad and
depressed, scales large with greenish tinge
 Optimum temperature: 22-30C
 Feed: Fingerlings (Phytoplanktons) adult aquatic
weeds, soft leaves, algae)
 Growth: 3-4kg/y
 Breeding: April-May, 3-4 lac eggs/5kg

11. Hypophtylmicthys molitrix
(Silver Carp)
 Shiny silvery color ,upturned mouth and laterally
compressed body
 Optimum temperature: 22-30C
 Feed: Fingerlings (Zooplanktons, Rotifers, copepodes,
Phytoplanktons) Adult (Phytoplanktons) surface
feeder
 Posses high growth rate attaining 2-3kg/year
 Breeding: April-May, 8-10 lac eggs/5kg

12. Cyprinus carpio (Common
Carp/Gulfam)
 Native to East Europe/found all over the world, can live
in harsh environment
 Occur at a temperature 3-35C
 Best temp. range 18-24C
 Different varieties developed
 Different colors in different geographical locations,
mostly golden silver with yellowish belly
 Feed at bottom mostly on detritus and cause turbidity
 Growth: 1-2kg
 Breed in stagnant water from Feb. – March 2-3 lac
eggs/2kg

13. Tilapia
(Oreochromis mossambicus)
 Native to African Rivers
 Introduced in Pakistan in mid 80s but cause serious
ecological problems
 Temp. 8-42C
 Tolerant in Saline water
 Omnivorous , feeds on anything from algae to insects
 Breed in stagnant waters
 Female incubates the fertilized eggs in her mouth
continue to refuge in the mouth until strong enough to
live independently

14. Rainbow Trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss)
 Cold water fish of North America
 Popular b/c of its taste
 Brown in color with black spots and pinkish lines on
lateral sides
 Brought from Japan
 Flowing water with 10-15C
 Found in northern areas of Pakistan
 Feed: carnivorous in nature, feed on high protein diet
 Growth: 100-500gm/year
 Breeding: December-January 1500-2000 eggs/kg