Carp seabass polyculture concept is an eco-friendly farming technology in freshwater aquaculture

In this study, the carps were cultured with Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) to access the feasibility, growth, survival and production of fishes in freshwater condition for two consequent years. Carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala and Ctenopharyngodon idella) were cultured along with seabass in experiment pond whereas only carps were reared in control pond. The result showed that the water and sediment quality were optimum in both the ponds as per fish growth and survival. The work revealed that average growth of carps in terms of length, weight, biomass and production was significantly high (P<0.01) in experiment pond during the subsequent years of the study. Satisfactory results and the positive impact of introducing seabass in carp polyculture may be attributed to seabass stocking after the carps have attained appropriate size. The stocking of seabass seeds was done after getting the proper size of carps that help protect these carps from predation and chasing, availability of primary food components for consumption than the supplementary feed and consumption of weed fish by seabass minimized competition for food, oxygen and space for carps. Based on these findings, it was concluded that such practices would be a milestone for fish farming in freshwater.