Cage culture of eels is a new aquaculture industry that has emerged in recent years. Due to its low investment and quick results, it has developed rapidly across the country and achieved good economic benefits. In order to better promote and improve this breeding technology, based on the successful breeding experience of eel farmers in recent years, we summarized the "eight levels" that should be controlled in cage breeding of eel ponds.

1. Select a pond in Qingchiguan

Eels like warmth, shelter from wind, light, and are afraid of shock. Therefore, cage breeding should be sunny, sheltered from wind, with convenient water sources and less external interference. A pond with an area of ??3 to 5 acres, a water depth of about 1.5m, and a relatively stable water level. Before eels are stocked, the pond needs to be thoroughly disinfected with 100-120kg/acre of quicklime to kill harmful microorganisms in the water and improve the substrate.

2. Cage insertion and release switch

The cage area is 15 to 20 square meters. The cage is made of polyethylene mesh, with a rectangular six-sided box and a height of 1.5m. , the length and width depend on the pond. The cage is set in the center of the pond. The four corners are fixed with bamboo, and the four sides are framed with moso bamboo. The moso bamboo and the four corners of the bamboo are connected with flexible joints so that the cage can rise when the water rises and fall when the water falls. The submergence depth of the cage is about 1.0m, and the upper edge of the cage is 0.5m away from the water surface to prevent the eels from escaping and provide buoys for daily management. The total area of ??the cage should not exceed 50% of the pond area. One week before the eels are released, put the cage into the water and let some algae adhere to the cage to avoid damage caused by friction between the eel body and the mesh. At the same time, aquatic plants such as water peanuts and water hyacinth that reproduce quickly are placed in the cage. Create a good growth environment for eel seedlings. The coverage area of ??aquatic plants is 80 to 95%. If the aquatic plants grow slowly, fertilizer, water, or urea can be appropriately applied to promote growth. Feishuibao is conducive to cultivating good water quality that is fat, lively, tender and refreshing, and is conducive to improving the survival rate of eel seedlings and enabling them to start eating earlier.

3. Eel seedling stocking conditions

At present, eel seedlings come from captured wild seedlings, and cage capture is the best. Eels with enteritis disease should be eliminated. The body color of eel seedlings is generally yellow, that is, eel seedlings that are dark yellow with dark brown spots on their backs, followed by cyan eels, and gray eels are not suitable as eel species. Stocking time: The first half of the year is from April to July, with the most suitable temperature of 20-25°C. June to July is the best stocking period. Stocking when the temperature exceeds 30℃ will affect the survival rate of eel species. The appropriate size for eels is 20 to 40 eels/kg. In the second half of the year, it is advisable to stock the eel seedlings that were bred that year and use them as seedlings for the coming year after overwintering. When stocking, they must be divided into large and small boxes. The same cage must be uniform in size. Each cage must be stocked at one time, with a stocking density of 1 to 2 kg/square meter. Before the seedlings are released, soak them in 20 mL/cubic meter of water and 20 g/cubic meter of water for 20 minutes to repair the mucus on the body surface and perform sterilization and disinfection treatment to improve the seedlings' physical fitness and anti-stress ability, and improve the seedlings' ability to resist stress. Survival rate after entering the box and early feeding.

4. Feeding and domestication requirements

Eels placed in cages for the first time must be domesticated. Method: Do not feed eels for three days before stocking. After the eels move normally, start introducing food at night. The feeding bait should be selected from the earthworms, small miscellaneous fish, river clams, etc. that eels most like to eat. Use a small amount and multiple times. From then on, the feeding time will be gradually advanced every day until normal feeding. At this stage, health-care drugs such as food-inducing Pioneer, Liwei Powder, and Jinweisu can be mixed with the bait to improve the uniformity of the eel seedlings. After the eel has formed good feeding habits, you can start to slowly add artificial pellet feed to the eel bait and feed it together. Adopt a method of starting with less and then more, and gradually adapting to gradually increase the proportion of artificial bait. The proportion is controlled at 1kg to 2kg of fresh bait and fed twice a day, preferably at 6 to 7 o'clock and 17 to 18 o'clock. The total daily feeding amount is initially calculated as 2 to 3% of the eel's body weight, and then gradually increases to 6%. Gradual feeding has the best effect. Fresh small fish and other fresh bait purchased from the market must be washed before feeding. At the same time, 1 mL of Shencao Dan is added to every kilogram of fresh bait and soaked and disinfected for half an hour to kill external pathogenic bacteria.

5. Daily management issues

The water body for eel culture in cages must have a certain degree of fertility, and the transparency should be controlled at 15-20cm. Water color that is too clear affects the growth of eel.

In order to improve water quality and increase pond utilization, crucian carp, silver carp, bighead carp, and grass carp should be raised outside the tank in a timely manner. You should observe frequently and check the bottom of the box regularly. If you find a dead eel, you should fish it out in time. Once the cage breaks and the eel becomes sick, repair and treat it immediately. When the temperature is high in summer, eels eat vigorously and excrete a large amount, and the water quality is easily corrupted. At this stage, water quality control and heatstroke prevention and cooling should be the main focus. Eliminate residual bait in time every day, clean the net clothing when necessary, and change the bottom water when changing water. For some places with poor water quality, aging bottom of the pool and no water to change, Hai Zhongbao should be frequently used to powerfully purify the water quality. The aquatic plants in the box should also be regularly removed from the aging parts to promote the growth of new grass and enhance the water purification function of the aquatic plants. In autumn, the water temperature begins to slowly decrease and aquatic plants begin to age. Therefore, aging aquatic plants should be removed in time and 1/7 of the water surface should be left for drying to improve water quality. In winter, the water temperature drops, aquatic plants age and rot, the breeding density increases, and the water quality deteriorates, resulting in a significant decline in eel immunity. Therefore, before winter, add an appropriate amount of gold vitamins, liver-protecting granules, septic granules, blood-enhancing granules and other drugs to the bait to improve the fish body. disease resistance is particularly important. At the same time, during the winter, use disinfectants such as Jiandujing, Shencaodan, and Antivirus King to disinfect water bodies. Haizhongbao's work in purifying water quality cannot be ignored to ensure the safe wintering of eels.