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Ashland NFWCO
 Midwest Region
 ***Dedicated To Tribal Aquaculture Programs***
      Fish Jumping
          **September 1994 ~ Volume 9****Coordinator:
                  Frank G. Stone 
                  (715-682-6185) Ext. 12
                  U.S. Fish and
                  Wildlife Service
                  Email: [email protected]** Topics
  of Interest: MTAN ArrowSucker Propagation and Rearing
  MTAN ArrowFee Fishing Operations
  MTAN ArrowOxygen Supplementation
  MTAN ArrowWarts On A Walleye
  MTAN ArrowFloating Raceway System
  MTAN ArrowAutomatic Phone Dialer  SUCKER PROPAGATION AND REARING **By: John B. Daily, Aquaculture Consultant, 7300 113th Ave. No., Champlin, MN 55316 612-323-0772** Live bait fish of major importance in Minnesota includes several species of  minnows. Bait minnows used include: fatheads, several species of chubs, shiners  and certain species of dace. The term minnow is commonly used to include  members of the minnow and sucker families and implies a small bait fish. The white or common sucker is a well known species in Minnesota. It is found  in lakes and streams throughout the state but they are mostly in the northern  areas. This species is often associated with walleyes, northern pike, and lake  trout and is least abundant in lakes of southern and western Minnesota where there are large populations  of carp, bullheads, and buffalo fish. The most important bait fish species  cultured is the fathead minnow. The second most important, which I will discuss  in further detail, is the white sucker. Back in 1980, when the last complete survey of the minnow  industry occurred, the white sucker constituted approximately 34% of sales  (which was valued then at $7.6 million dollars), and by the year 2000, the  value of sales may be closer to $17 million. Sucker propagation has been in place within Minnesota for well over  half a century. Suckers are anadromus species which run up streams in the  spring to spawn, but also may spawn in school areas of lakes. They select sites  where they can concentrate their spawning activities. Spawning usually occurs  when water temperatures are between 50E and 65E, which is usually the last part  of March or early April. In streams the sucker spawning run often follows the  walleye spawning cycle. **EGG STRIPPING** Collecting fish on the spawning site requires ample space to  crib fish to be sorted before spawning. The most common error which occurs is  the desire to collect as many eggs as possible and as soon as possible. To  insure the highest amount of fertility (of those eggs taken) you must not force  the females to expel all her eggs as many are not completely ripe. Stripping  only those females which are clearly mature will result in a higher percentage  of eggs to become fertilized. Female maturity is dependent on water  temperature, current, and weather conditions. Even though female suckers have  been known to contain as many as 130,000 eggs, stripping operations will not  produce that many per female. The yield is from 4,000 to 40,000 eggs because  not all their eggs are ready for release at the same time. If some green  females are cribbed do not hold them for very long, especially if they do not  ripen within 72 hours. After this time they should be released. Sorting of fish  may be done by hand or dip nets. Do not pick fish by the tail or across the  eyes. Do not crowd fish too tightly, so that ripe females prematurely eject  their eggs. Stripping can be performed standing or sitting, but it's generally  easier if a small table is used. If during the stripping process, water temperatures began to  warm-up, then any cribbed fish should be checked again for ripeness. When  stripping fish, hold the fish in a natural position. Do not bend the body or  tail to extremes. Use the flat of the index finger at right angles to the  belly. Do not apply extreme pressure, as eggs should discharge easily if the  fish is ripe. Undue handling and pressure can cause ruptured eggs and or  internal injury to the fish. Do not hold the fish upright and shake, as few  eggs are obtained by this method. NOTE: Sucker eggs are naturally semi-buoyant  and somewhat adhesive. The next operations are critical and should be fully  understood to ensure a high percentage of fertilized eggs. Strip the female(s) in a semi-dry container, with no excess  water. Using a hard plastic bowl seems to work best, as the eggs are less  likely to adhere to the surface, and the bowl's shape permits easy mixing of  the eggs and sperm. The trigger which starts the egg and sperm to interact is  water. No more than 2 or 3 females to a pan should be considered. No excess  water should be allowed in the pan until sperm and water are added at the same  time. Sperm in water is capable of fertilizing eggs for a maximum  of only 20 to 30 seconds. While some fertilization may take place after this  time, it is so negligible it can be disregarded. This means the operator has no  more than 30 seconds to thoroughly mix the eggs and milt. After 30 seconds,  fresh sperm from another male is needed. Two males to each female is the  preferred ratio. It is also believed that eggs are capable of being  fertilized for up to 2 minutes, but after 1 minute when coming in contact with  water, the number of eggs which retain their ability to become fertilized drops  drastically. By mixing eggs and sperm rapidly and thoroughly with water you  should be able to raise the percentage of fertilized eggs to about 90%. To mix,  use a block of goose feathers, a soft rubber spatula, or other suitable soft  device. Use extreme care not to rupture the eggs. Stripping of females should  be done keeping in mind the allotted time limits. After fertilization the bowl  should be set aside for another minute or two then the eggs should be  "mucked". Muck (composed of bentonite-a fine clay) should be added in  sufficient quantity to coat the eggs to prevent clumping and to remove the  adhesiveness of the egg. Muck can be mixed in with the eggs using a block of  feathers, or swirling the bowl. Eggs should remain in the clay for 1 to 2 minutes  to obtain a proper coating. The eggs may then be washed in a screen cradle  below the stripping site and the clean eggs can be water hardened in the cradle  or placed in a tub or other holding container. The screen washing cradle may be  constructed of a brass screen that has 58% open areas and 24 openings per  linear inch. CAUTION: Eggs are very sensitive to UV light and must be covered  at all times whether in the cradle or in a tub. Fresh water should also be  added to the egg holding container every 10 to 20 minutes. **EGG HARDENING** If eggs are allowed to water harden in a cradle, allow 4  quarts per 30 inch cradle and hold them in good flowing water. A lesser amount  of eggs should be used if there are suspected water problems. If tubs are used,  allow approximately 15 quarts of eggs per tub. This will also require  periodically changing the water for oxygen renewal. In most instances, egg  hardening may take place in the hatchery, by siphoning water from the battery  or attaching a hose to a spigot, then to the tub of eggs. To prevent eggs from  sticking to the bottom inside edges of a tub you may add a bead of silicone  caulking around the bottom edge. If possible, protect eggs from UV light and  weather extremes inside or outside the hatchery. Sucker eggs must be allowed to water harden before they can  be counted and placed into hatchery jars for further incubation. Eggs not  properly water hardened and placed in jars will have a tendency to adhere in  masses. After fertilization cell division will begin in approximately 8 hours,  unless the water is very cold. There should be no further handling of the eggs  until eye-up. **EGG TRANSPORTATION** Depending on the distance of travel from the stripping site  to the hatchery, garbage cans, plastic bags or milk cans may be used to  transport the eggs. Avoid undue shock from splashing of the water. This may be  accomplished by using containers with tight lids filled half with eggs and the  rest with water. As a general guideline a garbage can will hold approximately  10-20 quarts of eggs, and a plastic bag 5-8 quarts. Add oxygen to plastic bags  and tie shut, unless your trip to the hatchery is less than 30 minutes. Plastic  bags can be placed in another suitable container (filled with water) that can  further cushion the eggs. Upon arriving at your hatchery the eggs may have to  be tempered. NOTE: A temperature variance of more than 5E F. will require some  tempering. **HATCHERY OPERATIONS** To reduce the potential for early fungal and bacterial  infections within the hatchery system, it is best to disinfect the facility  (before use) with chlorine. Transferring eggs to jars is best achieved by dipping from  the egg container (tub) into a tipped jar (with some water in it), or by using  a funnel which is placed in the jar of water. This technique will help to avoid  induced shock to the eggs. Do not dip eggs dry, but always have water for  buoyancy. If incubation jars do not have quart graduations along the side, then  you should have a measuring stand to avoid overloading the jar. Incubation jars  can be marked by using a good quality transparent tape marked with one quart  graduations. Each jar may contain 2.5 to 3 quarts (maximum) for incubation. As the jars are put on the hatching battery, water flow  rates should be adjusted to prevent eggs from flowing out or from lumping together.  Use the least amount of flow to achieve these objectives. Hatching jar stand  pipes should be centered to roll eggs equally in the jar (plastic jars will  center the stand pipe automatically). A number of empty jars should be  available for use as hospital jars for egg clean up. This is done to prevent  dead or fungused eggs from affecting the good eggs within each jar. During the  incubation process the eggs are very sensitive to shock until they are eyed, so  to remove the bad eggs use a siphon hose, with the bad eggs being placed in the  hospital jars. NOTE: Removing bad eggs will also remove some good eggs, this is  why the hospital jars are used. It is quite common for dead eggs to develop fungus during  incubation. If not controlled the fungus can spread to live eggs and reduce  hatching success. A formalin-F drip station at the water inlet can be used  which delivers a ratio of 1:6,000 parts in 15 minutes. This treatment process  should be avoided during the first 7 days of incubation or after eye-up. If  eggs are not treated it's possible the eggs will clump and start to float out  of the jars. This can be stopped by slowing water flow, siphoning, or stirring  the eggs with a feather. Higher incubation water temperatures will accelerate  egg decomposition and fungus growth. Dead egg removal must be done until the  eggs are well eyed. CAUTION: When removing bad eggs into a tub, observe if a  oil slick appears on the tub water surface, if this occurs then the eggs are  being handled too roughly and the eggs shells are rupturing. After the eggs are  fully eyed the jars can be cleaned, the eggs measured and then rejarred. Fry  tanks should also be cleaned and made ready for the fry hatch prior to egg  eye-up. **EGG MEASUREMENT** The hatchery operator should know the egg size to determine  the actual amount of eggs on hand. Once the eggs are placed on the hatching  battery, a cross section of eggs should be taken for measurement. A "pig  trough" is a measuring device that allows the hatchery operator to  determine the actual size of the egg and then convert the number of eggs in a  6-inch metal trough to the number of eggs in one quart. Taking random samples  across the hatching battery and making 10 individual counts will give you the  overall average size of the eggs which will allow for the number of eggs per  quart. **OTHER HATCHERY PROBLEMS** Debris in water can usually occur if water is drawn from a  pond, lake or stream. Debris can slow or stop water flow to the jars and injure  the eggs. Debris may be removed by using a screen box beneath the water inlet  to each battery. Brass screen similar to that used in egg cradles is preferred  because it is durable, and can be scrubbed many times. Plastic screen can be  used but isn't quite as durable. A sudden increase in water temperature can cause gas bubbles  to appear. This may occur if using surface water or heating well water. This  problem may develop at any stage of rearing (including the eyed stage). Gas  bubbles can float eggs out of the jars unless the spigots are screened. To  reduce this problem you can add colder well water to the inflowing surface  water. If you are heating water then heat the incoming water several degrees  above the temperature you want to mix with the eggs, then add cooler well water  to bring the temperature down to the proper level. Extreme agitation of water  at the head box will assist in dispersing air bubbles and some gases. Pure  oxygen injection will also reduce gas bubble problems. Water should be run  slowly through the jars and the top row of jars should not be used for hatching  if possible. **EGG HATCH** Once the eggs are fully hatched, sucker fry tend to stay in  the jars. At this point you may wish to dump them in distribution containers,  or place the fish into the fry tank for later distribution. Egg shells can  cause the fry tank screens to clog. Bubblers against each outlet screen will be  necessary. Do not allow the fry tank to become heavily loaded; stocking of fry  should began when sufficient numbers appear in the tank. NOTE: Within 4 days of  hatching a thunderstorm can cause a premature hatch of your eggs. Also, never chemically  treat eggs within 3 days of hatching. Screens may have to be brushed when fry  and egg shells begin to plug the screen openings. If screens become plugged  than the tank will overflow and the fry will be lost. Throughout the whole  hatchery operation, it is very important to have a knowledgeable person on  night duty to monitor the development of the hatchery program. **FRY DISTRIBUTION** To move the appropriate number of fry to ponds the weight  displacement method should be used. Using a floor scale and a tub, add water to  the tub to a preset weight. When fry are removed from the tank (using a fry  seine), drain most of the water from the net and place the fry into the tub. By  knowing the number of fry per ounce you can calculate an average number of fry  in each tub. Should you wish to measure smaller amounts of fry I have another  method which works very well . Please contact me should you wish further  details. Fry can be distributed in a number of ways depending on pond  location, distance to travel and number of fry to be moved. A standard distribution tank (130 gallons of water capacity)  can hold 750,000 fry (with the use of oxygen). This is the least approved  method. Large plastic bags can be used with about 75,000 fry/bag  injected with pure oxygen. A garbage can with 20,000 fry and no air can be used for  very short trips (less than a 2 hr.). **NOTE**: Before stocking you must avoid thermo-shock. Taking  pond temperatures is very important. Again the 5E variance holds true. Pond  temperatures greater or less then this require tempering the fry. Place the  container in the pond and slowly add water to acclimate the fry. Stocking  should be on a quiet shoreline or even off shore to avoid fry from being washed  back into shore. If possible, fry should be stocked when pond temperatures are  rising, and a good plankton population is developing. **TIPS ON PONDS** EXAMPLE OF A POOR POND--Ponds less than 5 feet in depth with  water fertility of more than .100 ppm of phosphorus and 1.75 ppm of organic  nitrogen, or a maximum blue-green algae population of more than 300 pounds per  acre foot of water will not produce suitable crops of sucker fingerlings. EXAMPLE OF A GOOD POND--Ponds best suited for sucker  propagation are generally 5 to 10 acres in size, 5 to 10 feet deep, moderately  fertile, and fairly free from summer kills. Most ponds have adequate natural  sucker food supplies for suitable growth in a summer period. Length of growth  is generally a function of sucker density. A survival rate of 20 to 30% for  stocked fry is very acceptable. Understocking produces fewer fish, but  overstocking wastes fry. Average Minnesota  production in sucker ponds shows a high of 25,000 to a low of 1,500 fingerlings  per acre. Periodic cropping greatly increases sucker weight. Also, be sure to  monitor oxygen levels throughout the growing season and throughout the winter  period (should you wish to over winter your fish).   Management Options To Consider When Planning A Fee Fishing  Operation **By: MTAN** Fee fishing operations should have limited access for  security purposes. Irregular shaped ponds of 1/2-2 acres will provide a more  natural and aesthetic fishing environment. Smaller ponds are also normally  easier to manage. Two or three ponds provide management advantages over a  single pond operation. If fish are off flavored, become diseased, will not  bite, or if pond repairs are needed, the business will not meet its full  potential. Drain structures should be installed to allow rapid pond dewatering. Shallow pond areas, less than 2 feet in depth, should be  avoided since they promote aquatic plant growth and unfavorable water  temperatures. If possible, fee fishing ponds should be constructed with a 3-5  foot depth. A smooth pond bottom permits the seining of the pond for good pond  management. Adequate parking facilities and a combination ticket/concession  stand should be located at the main entrance. Property liability insurance should be considered, or accident release forms  should be signed as customers enter the property. Some fee fishing operations  are open 24 hours, 7 days a week, while others have limited hours of operation. Fee fishing operations often charge either a general  admission fee and an additional fee per pound of fish caught. Selling fish by  the pound provides more accurate fish stock records but requires an attendant  to weigh the fish as customers leave. Customers should be discouraged from  returning captured fish to the pond since the fish often do not survive. Bonus ponds may be stocked with larger fish and have been  used successfully to attract fee fishing customers. Stocking other than the  primary fish of interest into a fee fishing pond can make pond management  difficult and should be avoided. Feeding the fish while they are in the pond  will allow the fish's immune system to combat disease and to maintain its body  weight. Supplemental feeding will keep the fish healthier and hungrier. Fee fishing operations make most of their profits from the  sale of concession items. Fishing tackle, baits, soft drinks, and candy are  commonly sold. Fishing rods and reels may be sold or rented. Cane poles or spin  casting gear is most frequently used. Deposits may help discourage rental  equipment vandalism. Many fee fishing operations use holding tanks to sell  additional fish to fishermen, or to customers not interested in fishing. Fish  cleaning ($.25-.35 per lb or per fish) and food vending services could also be  provided. Adequate restroom facilities are necessary to insure the success of  the operation. Consult the county health department about existing regulations  regarding these types of facilities. Some fee fishing operations provide  alternative activities for nonanglers such as pony rides, game rooms,  playgrounds plus picnic and camping. Aesthetics, facility cleanliness and safety are important  details which can determine an operation's success. Providing paved, or gravel  pond banks which are clear of vegetation near the waters edge will improve  accessibility. Benches, picnic tables, shelters, and shade trees may be located  a short distance from the pond. Litter containers and life saving gear should  be readily accessible. Entrance signs displaying regulations such as the limit  of two fishing rods per person, fish size or quantity limits, and prohibiting  the use of alcohol and abusive language are also useful management tools. Many fee fishing operations depend on repeat customers and  word of mouth advertising to attract business. Attractive roadside signs as  well as radio, television, and newspaper advertisements may also attract  customers. A fee fishing operation's success will depend on the  manager's ability to run a business and manage the public, in addition to  managing the fish. It is important to remember that fee fishing customers  expect to catch fish.   Comparison of Two Methods of Oxygen Supplementation for  Enhancing Water Quality in Fish Culture **By: Speros Doulos, Anthony Garlind, John Marshall and Mark  White****U.S. Fish  and Wildlife Service, Erwin National Fish Hatchery, Erwin, Tennessee 615-743-4712
Taken from the Progressive, Fish-Culturist 56:130-134,1994** In recent years, several methods of injecting pure oxygen  into fish-rearing water have been developed. The use of pure oxygen for fish  culture can increase fish production and reduce nitrogen saturation. Some  oxygen supplementation techniques contribute to excessively high total gas  pressures that can adversely affect fish health. The sealed column, however,  has proven to be one of the most effective devices for adding pure oxygen to  fish-rearing water. The spring water supply at Erwin (Tennessee) National Fish Hatchery  consistently produces water with dissolved oxygen (DO) at less than 90%  saturation. The combination of limited spring water flow, serial water reuse,  and pumped reuse results in dangerously low DO levels throughout the hatchery.  In addition, nitrogen saturation levels regularly exceed 120%. An oxygen  supplementation system was installed to increase DO and reduce nitrogen  saturation where water first enters the facility at a place where two different  methods of oxygen supplementation can be used. Pure oxygen can be added  directly to two sealed columns or injected into the main pump line through a  pipeline manifold. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of  these two methods of oxygen supplementation. **Results and Discussion** Data collected from the main spring water supply standpipes  (no oxygen supplementation) were consistent throughout the study. Incoming DO  averaged 8.6 ppm (range, 8.4-8.7 ppm); mean oxygen saturation was 86.3%. Mean  nitrogen saturation was 121.2% (range, 120.5-121.6%), and average TDG  saturation was 113.7% (range, 113.3-113.9%). These data are consistent with  baseline water quality data collected during the previous year. The sealed column oxygen injection site provided higher  raceway DO, lower nitrogen saturation, and lower TDG saturation than the  pipeline manifold site. These data were obtained from the mixing of 358 gal/min  of oxygenated pumped water effluent with 1,044 gal/min of main spring water  that received no supplemental oxygen. The highest DO levels were achieved with  sealed column oxygen supplementation at a gas-to-liquid ratio of 2.2%, which  resulted in a 73.5% increase in raceway DO (to 6.33 ppm) and increased oxygen  saturation to 149.3%. This method of oxygen supplementation reduced nitrogen saturation  to 93.1% and TDG saturation to 105.0%. By comparison, pipeline manifold oxygen  supplementation at a gas-to-liquid ratio of 2.2% resulted in a 53.7% increase  in raceway DO (to 4.83 ppm) and increased oxygen saturation to 134.6%. Nitrogen  saturation was reduced to 99.0% and TDG saturation to 106.1%. The greatest oxygen transfer efficiency was achieved when  oxygen was added to the sealed columns at a gas-to-liquid ratio of 0.7%. Oxygen  supplementation via the sealed columns was consistently more efficient than  oxygen additions through the pipeline manifold. Oxygen transfer efficiency was  reduced as the gas-to-liquid ratio was increased for both methods. Dissolved oxygen measurements taken directly from the sealed  column effluent showed small variation, 1.5-2.7%. Percent variation was far  greater when supplemental oxygen was added through the pipeline manifold,  54-63%. Column water flows were checked following the collection of effluent DO  data. Column water flows were initially set at equal flow rates (179 gal/min  through each column). Whereas minor variations in water flow occurred when  oxygen was added directly to the sealed columns, pipeline manifold oxygen  injection resulted in a 21% variation in column water flow. Colt and Watten  (1988) described bubble formation when pure oxygen was injected into  air-saturated water. These bubbles typically form at elbows, pipe transitions,  and other areas of low pressure or high turbulence. Oxygenated water within the  pumped water line at the Erwin hatchery flows through five elbows and several  pipe transitions. It appears that gas bubbles collected near the top of the  pipeline, reducing the cross-sectional area of the pipe and ultimately changing  water flow. Resulting variations in column effluent DO were impossible to  control when supplemental oxygen was added through the pipeline manifold. Based on our tests, oxygen injection directly into sealed  columns is a more effective means of oxygen supplementation than oxygen  injection via pipeline manifolds.   WARTS ON A WALLEYE **By: Terrence Ott, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish  Health Center,  La Crosse, WI  608-781-6238** Warts or Lymphocystis, although rarely lethal, is a chronic  infectious viral disease caused by an iridovirus that results in uniquely enlarged  cells, appearing as warts, in the skin and fins of walleye and most  centrarchids in North America. The highly dermatotropic lymphocystis virus infects the  cytoplasm of fibroblastic cells of the interstitial connective tissue. Infected  skin and fin cells in the course of their cytological change do not multiply,  but enlarge from their normal size by a factor of 50,000 to 100,000. The name lymphocystis disease was coined by an investigator  during the early 1900's on the presumption that the giant skin cells  represented a protozoan parasite. The parasite said to be involved was  Lymphocystis johnstonei the source of the modern accepted name of the disease. The viral disease has been reported in at least 81 species  of fishes from 33 taxonomic families and seven taxonomic orders. The most  susceptible species are walleye, sauger, pike, and panfishes. The disease has  not been reported in salmonids. The viral pathogen is typically dermatotropic (has affinity  for dermis) and superficial. It is considered to have low virulence, since the  course of this disease is exclusively chronic and liver functions are hardly  impaired. Numerous warts can be unsightly and the marketability of obviously  infected walleye is limited. Mortalities due to lymphocystis disease are  probably rare, but the disease can occur year round depending on water  temperatures. The developmental period for the virus to produce warts in the  walleye takes about two weeks at 12EC. Infected walleye behave normally but extensive warty growths  on the fins can slightly affect swimming speeds, and heavy infections on the  head region may hinder vision and feeding movements. Any walleye living with  lymphocystis lesions for a few months to a few years without being destroyed by  the disease will spontaneously slough the warty growths and remain free of the  disease. Contact transmission is the principle means by which the viral agent  is spread. External surfaces, including the gills, are the chief portals of  entry. The oral route seems not to be involved, and furthermore, no evidence  exists for vertical transmission (via the gametes). Factors such as high  population density, external parasites, and trauma enhance transmission of the  disease. External trauma has been implicated in transmission of the disease  during spawning from aggressive behavior over spawning and mates, as well as,  from human activities such as netting, fin clipping, or tagging. A prophylaxis treatment is only possible by placing walleye  in quarantine for at least 2 months. The best method to eradicate the  contagious viral agent from a walleye population is by destroying all infected  fish from the population. Remember! Transporting walleye with warts is the fastest way  of spreading the virus from one watershed to another.   THE CAILLOUET FLOATING RACEWAY SYSTEM A STEP FORWARD FOR  FISH CULTURE **By: Dan Selock, Mid-Continental Fisheries, P.O. Box 1177, Marion,   Ill. 62959  618-997-2117** As aquaculturists, we often search for the "ideal  culture fish," depending upon our length of growing season, average water  temperature, and markets. For some it's channel or blue catfish, baitfish,  tilapia, largemouth bass, or even crawfish. For others it's trout, salmon,  hybrid striped bass, walleye, or yellow perch. Along with this search for the  best fish species is also a search for the "ideal culture method."  Which method, open pond, cage, raceway, or recycle system, best fits our  resources of land, type of water impoundment, water supply, existing equipment,  labor force, and investment capital? We all have our unique situations and  problems. Recently, an innovative fish culture method has surfaced -  the Caillouet Floating Raceway System (patent pending). It is the  reorganization of existing, proven ideas into a new form. The system  incorporates the advantages of raceways with the economy of airlift pumping and  the need for solids removal, all done in an existing body of water. The system consists  of four raceways divided by wooden walkways. Pond water is airlifted into one  end of the raceway at a rate of 300 to 500 gallons per minute. It flows through  the solid walled raceway, passes through a clarifier, and is discharged back  into the pond for denitrification and aeration. Each raceway is four feet wide,  four feet deep, forty feet long and holds about 500 cubic feet of water. A  complete water exchange can be made in as fast as eight minutes. Solid wastes  are collected in the clarifier at rate of 60% to 90%, depending on fish species  and size, and removed from the pond to be used as fertilizer on land. Channel  and blue catfish and trout have been successfully stocked at the density of 12  fish per cubic foot of water. Higher stocking densities are predicted with more  experience. Due to the economy of airlift pumping, nearly three million gallons  of water can be moved through the system for about $4.00 per day. Drs. Michael Masser and Kyung Yoo at Auburn University  presented information on a prototype floating raceway system for channel  catfish in March of '92, and Masser, Hawcroft and Yoo presented information on  raceway waste removal in January of '94. Both systems were similar to the  Caillouet system, but not as commercial in size nor believed to be as efficient  in waste removal and water movement. Regardless of the size and design, the  researchers stated that "data from '92 suggested that growth, survival,  and feed conversion of the In-pond Raceway system are superior to that of floating  cages." Several aquaculturists feel there is a need for further research  to compare floating raceways to open pond methods regarding production rates  and costs, especially using the raceways as nursery facilities. A World Aquaculture Note in March of '89 written by a fellow  aquaculturist in Norway stated that for salmon culture "sea cages  represent a simple and inexpensive technology, but problems from self-pollution  due to waste feed and feces, high levels of ammonia, reduced water circulation,  and availability of oxygen due to fouling of nets, sea lice, algal blooms, and  disease are often experienced...raceway (floating) fish contained more white  muscle, which is higher quality, than red muscle." After slaughtering and  quality ranking, 97% of the raceway fish were of superior quality , compared to  87% of the net pen fish. At the end of the experiment, the total growth of the  raceway group was 38% higher than the control group. It was mainly the swimming  muscle that had increased in weight. Raceway fish also had a higher condition  factor and lower mortality than fish in net pens. John Morrison and others at the Southeastern Fish Cultural  Laboratory in Marion, Alabama, used the Caillouet design and  recently compared the survival of floating raceway reared catfish fry to pond  reared fry. Predation by insects and/or wild fish and feeding efficiency were  better controlled in the raceways. Difficulty was experienced with predation  and feeding efficiency in the open pond. Losses were reduced in the raceway. Currently there are two Caillouet Floating Raceway Systems  in operation. One, which is in Brewton,   Alabama, is rearing channel and  blue catfish at a stocking density of 12 fish per cubic foot and using demand  feeders. Wayne Caillouet, the system's inventor, is pleased with growth rates,  feed conversions, and rate of survival. The other four-raceway system is near Marion, Illinois,  and contains channel and blue catfish and yellow perch at this time. Rainbow  trout were raised during the winter months. A small hatchery was constructed on  the floating dock during the spring and used air from the system to hatch  channel catfish eggs. Catfish broodstock were paired-up in one of the raceways  with dividers - "motel rooms." The fertilized eggs were moved from spawning  cans in the raceway to the hatchery tanks, only a matter of about 12 feet  apart. The eggs hatched, sac fry were moved to holding tanks, also on the  floating dock, where swim-up fry were fed until they reached about an inch in  length and then stocked back into one of the raceways. So, the system allows  the fish culturist to manage all stages of fish growth, from broodstock to egg  to fry to fingerling to stocker or food size. Bird predation started to be a  problem before a roll of poultry netting was installed to cover the raceways.  This was especially important with the smaller fish. The solid waste collected  from the clarifiers has been found to have a nitrogen - phosphate - potash  ratio of 18 - 13 - 3. Water temperatures have remained relatively steady  compared to the air temperatures, and no water quality problems have been  experienced. Fourteen more raceways are being constructed for the next growing  season to raise yellow perch, hybrid striped bass, blue catfish and white  suckers. A processing plant is also in the planning. Is this the "ideal culture method?" Well, nothing  is ideal, but this system does allow you to raise a variety of fish species in  a small space, observe feeding behavior, and sort and grade easily. Treatment  for external parasites can be performed with a controlled bath in a single  raceway at a time, versus treating the whole pond. Off-flavor is not much of a  problem, since current flow keeps the entire pond mixed and aerated. Harvest is  simple and inexpensive at any time, in any weather. Most labor costs are less.  An existing body of water deeper than six feet can be used. And this system  offers the aquaculturist a practical way to protect small fish from those darn  birds. You be the judge. Call Wayne at  205/809-0241 in Alabama or Dan at 618/997-2117  in Illinois  for their testimonies.   Is There A Phone Dialer In Your Hatchery's Future **By: Steve Mortensen, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Leech Lake  Reservation, Division of Resources Management** The MTAN contacted us awhile back and requested that we put  together a short article on the phone dialer we use in the fish hatchery to  monitor its vital functions and to alert us in the event of a problem. We have  been using phone dialers for close to 10 years now, and during this time they  have paid for themselves many times over by alerting us to problems before they  become disasters. This is not to say that they have averted all disasters and  that we advocate them as a substitute for simple, reliable systems and good  routine maintenance, but they are definitely useful pieces of equipment. Phone dialers come in a variety of models and can cost  anywhere from about $100.00 to thousands, depending on features and  manufacturer. The particular dialer we are using at this time is a Sensaphone7  Model 1100, and it has proven to be more reliable than previously-used models  and has more features. As I recall, it cost between $200.00 and $300.00 when  purchased four years ago. Basically, a phone dialer is an alarm system that has a  built-in telephone that will call you in the event of a problem. This  particular model monitors the electrical power, room temperature, noise level,  and up to three separate external circuits of your choosing. The temperature  monitor portion of the dialer can be set to call you in the event that the temperature  goes higher or lower than the levels you set. Remote temperature sensing is  also possible with an optional probe. If you need to monitor more than three  items at your facility you can wire more than one sensor to each of the three  circuits. Almost any type of switching device that opens or closes a circuit  can be used with the alarm. These switches will have to be purchased or built  to suit your hatchery's needs. In the event the alarm is tripped, it will start calling the  phone numbers you have programmed into it until it contacts someone and that  person calls the alarm back to prevent it from calling the next person. In  addition, you can call the alarm at any time and it will give you a run-down of  temperature, electrical power, and alarm conditions. Overall, the Sensaphone 1100 has proven to be a reliable  unit with few problems. The manual does a good job of explaining its features  and how to program it, but it will take a little study. You should remember  that you will also need to provide all the external alarm sensors, and unless  you have a basic working knowledge of electricity you will have to hire someone  for this work. For more detailed information on our experiences with phone  dialers, feel to call us at 218-335-8240. Information on the Sensaphone can be  obtained by writing to Phonetics, Inc., 901 Tryens Road, Aston, PA 19014  or by calling them at 215-558-2700.   **Return
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