Photo credit: Nick James (Rivendell Hatchery – South Africa)
Review: Nick James and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
The inserted picture shows an earthen fish pond under construction which is located near Bujumbura, Burundi. The average size of the pond in this private farm is 0.5 ha while water depth is less than a meter. The soil as shown in the picture is heavy clay and so the slope of the dikes is 1:2. The farm receives its surface water through irrigation canals. During operation, the only machinery used in the farm is two portable pumps.
The farmed species in this farm is the all-male of Chitralada strain of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) which is commonly known as Thai tilapia.
Fish ponds are usually fertilized with chicken manure to encourage the production of natural food which is supplemented by brewery waste, rice bran, and fish meal (5%). Under the mentioned farming conditions, fish of about 250-300 g average size are harvested after about 5 months after stocking.
