Salmon is one of the most consumed foods and the most imported seafood in the US. Getting started with raising salmon at home is not so complicated with the right knowledge and we will enlighten you on this.
You can raise salmon fish at home or in your backyard pond. Therefore, this will be an amazing way of obtaining fresh and locally made salmon fish for consumption or simply raise as pets.
Materials Needed for Raising Salmon at Home
The following materials are required for getting started with raising salmon at home:
- Fish tanks or aquarium
- Incubation tray
- Salmon eggs
How to Raise Salmon at Home
Home fish farming is an awesome experience. One of the best ways of raising salmon at home is through the use of closed containment. Raising salmon in a solid closed tank or containment will mainly protect the eggs from pathogens or diseases.
Another benefit of raising salmon from tanks at home is there will be fewer needs of chemicals. Therefore, you enjoy your salmon fish fresh, safe, and healthier. So, here are the tips to guide you in raising salmon fish at home.
1. Incubation Stage
Growing salmon can take up to two years from the egg stage. The stages begin from the egg and they are placed in the incubation tank. Ensure you rinse the tank with water before placing your salmon eggs. You can also clean the front of the tank or aquarium to have a clear vision.
The eggs are in the incubation trays for about 6 to 8 weeks. The tank can be covered with Styrofoam to prevent light from entering allowing the egg to incubate. Put some gravel or rocks in the tank as the eggs will live under the rocks feeding on their yolk. As the eggs of salmon are allowed to hatch, ensure you monitor as the eggs progress.
The eggs will hatch and turn into alevin and they are at the alevin stage for 30 to 50 days. They prefer to be in the dark at the alevin stage.
Also, make sure you remove the eggs shells and less active eggs or dead eggs as they hatch daily. The alevin now develops into young fish called fry. You can then remove the Styrofoam after they are done hatching.
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2. Fry System
The young fish are now moved into the fry tank for a period of 6 to 7 months. In the fry system or tank, the fry’s are then ready for their first feeding.
3. Feeding Stage
When the fish has fed on their egg sac, you can now proceed to drop food in their tank. The fry’s are feed with commercial fish feeds which are made to fit the life stages of the various fish sizes. The fish feed sizes range from crumbs to pellet size.
4. Fingerlings Tank
They are then transferred into the fingerlings tank for 5 months.
5. Smoltification Stage
As the fish grow in size and reach about 40 grams, smoltification is induced. Smotification is an advanced series in which the fish undergo a biochemical, physiological, and morphological transformation.
When smoltification has taken place, the fish are known as smolt. Salmon smolt is preferred in aquaculture or aquaponics reason being they grow faster.
6. Fish Sampling
A sampling of the salmon fish is carried out every two months to keep a good eye on their performance rate. When the fish reach 700grams to 800 grams, they can now be moved to the grow-out tanks.
7. Growout tank
They are now about a year old and transferred to the grow-out tank. Sampling is again done every two months and they can spend 12 months or more here based on the target size you want.
When your salmon fish has grown to the preferred target size of about 10 to 12 pounds, you can proceed to harvest.
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Additional Note on Raising Salmon at Home
Ensure you keep the tank or aquarium at a convenient temperature that is suitable for your salmon fish. They are cold water-loving fish. So, you can make use of a refrigerating unit with a device capable of keeping track and controlling the temperature of the tank.
Maintain a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Note that temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit can terminate the life of your salmon fish. Therefore, always keep an eye on the temperature daily.
There should also be an aerator so your tank can have an adequate oxygen supply. Always filter the water to reduce ammonia because too much ammonium can kill your salmon fish.