Semi-intensive fish culture systems involve stocking densities of 1500-3000 fish per hectare for species like silver carp, catla, rohu, grass carp, and bighead carp. The document provides a table listing the typical stocking sizes and densities for these and other fish species commonly used in polyculture in semi-intensive systems in India. Cage aquaculture involves even higher stocking densities that vary based on the size of the cage and fish species, with examples given for tilapia, carp, Thai koi, and pangas.

1. 1 | P a g e
What is the stocking density of fish in semi intensive culture?
Stocking Density: Stocking density also known as per-unit stocking amount or stocking rate,
refers to the quantity of fry or fingerlings per unit of water area.
Poly Culture: The concept of poly culture of fish is based on the concept of total utilization of
different trophic and spatial niches of a pond in order to obtain maximum fish production per unit
area. Different compatible species of fish of different trophic and spatial niches are raised together
in the same pond to utilize all sorts of natural food available in the pond.
Semi Intensive Culture: Semi-intensive culture systems depend largely on natural food which
is increased over baseline levels by fertilization and/or use of supplementary feed to complement
natural food.
Table 1
Species Scientific Name Stocking Size(cm)
Stocking Density
(No./ha)
Silver carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix 7-10 3000
Catla Catla catla 7-10 1730
Rohu Labeo rohita 7-10 2000
Grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus 7-10 1500
Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis 7-10 1000
Common Carp Cyprinus Carpio 7-10 2000
Mrigal Cirrhinus cirrhosus 7-10 500
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/worldfishcenter/nepal-rai-s
 Pangas (Pangasius pangasius): 20-40 fish/m2
(according to the recommendations from
government extension agencies to stock) - FAO
 Monosex Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): 10000 fish/ha in Honduras and Panama &
20000 fish/ha in Thailand and Philippines (Source: http://goo.gl/WE3Kpl).
 Grass Carp: 750-3,000 fish per hectare in semi intensive culture - FAO
 Thai Koi: 300-400 pieces/decimal (Kohinoor et al., 2010)
Stocking density of fish in Cage Culture?
Table 2 recommends the ideal stocking density of Tilapia and Carp
fishes where cage size is an important factor to be dealt with
(Source: https://goo.gl/DG8KpT).The Thai Koi’s stocking density
is 70 individuals in 1.52mX1.21mX1.21m (Source:
http://goo.gl/ihJcJi). Pangas are typically stocked at 100-150/m3
(Source: http://goo.gl/KjyUh8).
Important Terminologies
Carp Poly Culture