Fry rearing is a crucial initial phase in the process of nurturing young fish during their early development stages.
Rearing Stages Explained
According to the provided reference, rearing young fish generally involves nurturing 3–4 day-old postlarvae, which have begun to eat food, into fingerlings for pond stocking. This overall rearing process is typically divided into two main stages.
Focus on the Fry Stage
The first stage of this rearing process is specifically the fry stage. This period focuses on the initial growth and development of the very young fish.
Key characteristics of the fry rearing stage:
- Starting Point: Begins with postlarvae that are approximately 3–4 days old and have started consuming food.
- Duration: Fry are typically cultured for a period ranging from 18 to 25 days.
- Outcome: By the end of this stage, the fish have grown into juveniles measuring about 3 cm long.
- Resulting Name: These juvenile fish, approximately 3 cm in length after the fry stage, are known as summerlings.
In essence, fry rearing is the dedicated phase where very young fish (postlarvae) are intensively cultured for a few weeks to reach a small juvenile size (summerlings) before moving on to subsequent rearing stages or stocking.
Here's a summary of the fry stage based on the reference:
| Stage Name | Starting Point | Duration | End Point (Approx. Size) | Common Name at End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fry | 3–4 day-old postlarvae | 18–25 days | ~3 cm | Summerlings |
