This document summarizes the culture methods for mullet fish. There are two main culture methods - monoculture and polyculture. The key steps include seed supply from wild or hatchery sources, nursery rearing for 4-6 months, on-growing using either monoculture or polyculture techniques in earthen ponds for 7-8 months, harvesting using nets, and handling and processing for fresh or chilled markets. Proper water quality maintenance, disease control, and analysis of production costs and market demand are also important considerations for mullet aquaculture.

1. Presentation
On
Culture Method of
Mullet
Presented by
Md. Tariful Islam Fuad
ID. No.: 13207059
Marine Science
Session: 2012-13 (2nd Year)
Institute Of Marine Sciences & Fisheries,
University Of Chittagong.

2. MULLET FISH
Scientific Name: Mugil Cephalus
English Name: Flathead grey mullet, common mullet
Local Name : Batta mas

3. Culture Methods
There are two types of culture mthods-
1. Monoculture
2.Polyculture with common carp, grass carp, silver carp,
Nile tilapia and milkfish
The following steps are essential for both culture methods
• Seed supply
• Nursery
• On-growing techniques
• Harvesting techniques
• Handing & processing

4. Seed supply
Seed can be collected from
- wild or
- hatchery

5. Seed supply
Most commercial mullet aquaculture farm collect seed
from wild, 16-20mm larvae collected from inshore
waters & estuaries during late August to December.
Seeds also can be collected from research or
commercial hatchery.

6. Nursery
After catching, fry are stocked in earthen nurseries at high
densities. They mainly depend on natural food. Rice or white
bran will use as additional food.
Temperature will be 20-26°c
Secchi disc reading will be 20-30cm.
Fry will be kept for 4-6 months until they are about 10g WB.

7. On-growing technique
Flathead grey mullet can be cultured in polyculture in semi-intensive
ponds and netted enclosures in shallow costal water.It also can be
cultured in monoculture.
Pond preparation:
ponds are prepared by drying, ploughing and manuring with 2.5–5.0
tonnes/ha of cow dung. Ponds are then filled to a depth of 25–30 cm and
kept at that level for 7–10 days to build up a suitable level of natural feed.
The water level is then increased to 1.5–1.75 m and fingerlings are
stocked. Productivity (measured by secchi disc – 20-30 cm) is kept at the
required level by adding chicken manure and/or chemical fertilizers.
Optimal dissolved oxygen is maintained by the use of various types of
aerators, especially after sunset.

8. On-growing technique
Feed supply:
The mullet feed on the natural feed, detritus and feed leftovers.
In monoculture manuring may be sufficient to reach the required
feed level. Mullet has been found to feed directly on chicken
manure and good levels of production have been recorded.
Extruded feed is supplied to semi-intensive ponds to cover the
feeding requirements of other species in polyculture.

9. On-growing technique
The growing season is normally 7-8 months. Growth is checked by
sampling . If growth rates are not as expected, rice and/or wheat
bran is added daily in amounts of 0.5–1 percent of biomass to
supplement the natural feed in ponds.
Within 7–8 months in either culture systems in the subtropical
region, flathead grey mullet reach 0.75–1 kg; if kept for two more
on-growing seasons, they reach 1.5–1.75 kg each. Desirable size
varies from 1.5kg to larger depending on market and location.

10. Harvesting Technique
Harvesting can be partial in ponds or net enclosures. Daily
harvesting, according to market demand, can be carried out
using gillnets of suitable mesh size. Nets are stretched in a
zigzag line across ponds at sunset and collected at the early
morning.
In semi-intensive culture, total drain-harvesting is used in late
autumn or early winter. Fish usually move with the flow of water
to a concrete catch pond at the pond outlet. A seine net can be
used to collect those that do not reach the catch pond.

11. Handing & processing
Fish are collected from the catch ponds by scoop nets and
transferred into plastic boxes, washed in running water and then
sorted according to species and sizes on a sorting table. Sorted
fish are weighed and packed in plastic boxes with crushed ice.
In the Mediterranean region, mullet is usually marketed fresh or
chilled. Older mullet is considered of inferior quality and does
not usually gain a good price. Frozen mullet is considered of
much lower value in this region. Mullet is also preserved by wet
salting and consumed salted.

12. Caution
• Diseases & control measures-
Iridoviral disease, bacterial fin root, sea lice etc.
• Observation of bio-physical condition of pond-
ph, temperature, salinity, DO, light penetration etc
• Analysis of production cost
• Statistical analysis of production & market demand.

13. Thank you everyone.