Growing and selling fish has numerous options. This is why I think it is important to know this if one is interested in raising big fast growing fish - trophies. RAH says: "How would you rate getting the right genetics compared with just getting the right species, in the right numbers, and at the right time in a pond? I ask because I have not focused on genetics."
Most general run fish from a fish farm will grow WELL to nice sizes once they receive an abundant supply of food. So,,, many times you will get good growing fish from fish farms if those stocker fish get ample food. Ample or abundant food is important. At fish farms the YOY fish are often crowded into a growing pond. Natural foods are often limiting due to over crowding especially if the fish are not fed pellets. Fish are often over crowded in the ponds because each one has a sale value. Each fish sold adds up to total sales and the year end profits for the farm.
The answer is how important are numerous or fairly common trophies for your fishery? Are big, dandy fish for the species okay or do you want trophies? Your answer then will determine how important enhanced genetics are for your needs or goals. Most fish farms use fish with pretty good genetics. This assumes the fish farm is reputable, grows many of their own fish, and does not use wild caught or pond-lake clean out fish for their sales to customers. It benefits each fish farm's reputation to sell good quality fish.
Reproduction or offspring from good quality fish spawns result in a wide range of growth ability of each spawn. Often the growth rate of each spawn or YOY crop will be something like this: 30-40% slower growers, 30%-40% medium average growers, 10%-15% above average growers, and 3-5% fastest growers (sometimes called shooters or jumpers). Some or many fish farms buy most of their fish that are previously size graded when they buy them. the best fish farms that use the top 3%-5% fastest growers to produce fish with better or optimum genetics. This depends on methods used by the fish farm. IF the farm buys most of the fish they sell,, the fish they get are often size graded buy the seller or again by themselves for resale.
NOW -- what many fish farms do is size sort their in-house-grown YOY fish. NOTE some fish farms will not sort the YOY fish and you are sold a size mixture of that year class. This why it is important to KNOW the practices of your fish farm.
When sorting the YOY fish: smallest ones are the lower price, mid-size are medium price and the largest ones of above average size are the higher price - all the same age. This ASSUMES all are YOY yearling fish spawned that year. Know this when buying fish. Be able to TRUST your fish supplier to tell you the truth about how old the fish are and any questions you ask. Dishonest fish farmers will lie and say the 2nd yr old fish are 1 yr old. See the caution you need to have when buying fish?
IMO Top grade genetics are mostly for those that have lofty goals of growing numerous trophy class braggin size fish.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/08/17 03:26 PM.
