Hurricanes and Walking Catfish,
followed by Chilly Weather
Diary of a Florida Fish Farm
by Colin Calway
of Happy Trails Aquatics, Florida
Aquarticles
September 2004 - Hurricane season
Large numbers of Florida fish farms were devastated by four hurricanes in a row last
month, as I write in October 2004. Happy Trails Aquatics, located in South Central
Florida, was one of these.
Many trees were brought down, some of them in the breeding ponds. This makes it
impossible to get the fish out of the ponds until the flood water drops, since seine nets
can no longer be used. Some fish can be trapped, like the barbs, livebearers and some
cichlids. Others can be caught with cast nets, but this is not always successful as after
a couple of throws the fish get smart and dive for cover. Damage to our holding tanks and
shade cloth covering them was extensive. The shade cloth can be seen high in the trees
that are still standing.
The hurricanes caused another problem:
I learned a long time ago to go with gut feelings in this business. Recently while
checking a pond in which we are raising rosy barbs I noticed a couple of suspicious 'pops'
hitting the surface of the water. We pumped the pond down. Not one rosy barb was to be
found. Instead, the mud in the bottom of the pond was seething with Clarias batrachus,
better known as walking catfish. Non-native to Florida but becoming an increasing menace
these fish originate in India, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.
Walking catfish, taking advantage of the hurricanes and wet conditions, had made their
march. Not one or two but thousands at a time, and they decided to make our rosy barbs
pond their home. These mainly nocturnal fierce and extremely tough predators had
completely devoured over 10,000 rosy barbs.
When the food supply is expired the walking catfish will wait for the right conditions
which are wet conditions and march on like an army to the next food supply. Even killing a
pond by pumping down spreading active lime and using chlorine will not guarantee a 100%
killing of these fish. They are quite capable of burying themselves deep in the mud,
emerging when conditions are more favorable.
I have seen the walking catfish migrate on several occasions. One time was in Boca
Raton, Florida. I was driving along a country road and it seemed from a distance the road
was moving. Moments later I was driving over thousands of these fish. The feeling was like
driving over a oil slick.
The only time I have seen walking catfish turn belly up is in times of extreme cold.
The chances are that these monsters will not migrate beyond North Florida. That is the
only good thing I can say about them. Other than a friend of mine tells me they are good
eating. I don't know, I haven't tried them.
If you would like to visit Happy Trails Aquatics make sure you are wearing rubber
boots, for the next month at least!
I should not be complaining. We survived four hurricanes and are still alive.
January 2005 - Brings a Chill to Florida Fish Farms.
After the hurricanes comes the chill at Happy Trails Aquatics. With temperatures dipping
into the 30s F at night the whole operation changes from raising and selling fish to
trying to keep fish alive. Survival being the name of the game.
Some of the larger farms have the equipment to cover ponds with metal hoops and plastic
covers, and this method is fairly successful as long as the cold temperatures don't extend
for to many days and as long as the sun shines during the day. At Happy trails Aquatics
our ponds are a little large for this type of protection. We cover the holding tanks with
plastic covers and the ponds pretty well have to look after themselves. We prefer cloudy
days as this keeps the night temperatures a little higher.
After being wiped out by record cold temperatures three years ago and being left with
holes in the ground full of water and very few fish we decided to change to mostly fish
that could take lower temperatures. Examples are the livebearers platys and swordtails,
checkered Australian rainbows, and rosy barbs, along with the Japanese koi carp and
mosquito fish. At 50F we started to lose Hoplosternum littorale (armored
catfish). But to my surprise the emerald green corydoras (Brochis splendens) were
still quite active at this temperature. I certainly do not recommend keeping these fish at
these temperatures, although a drop and sudden rise in temperatures is very often the
trick to getting these guys to spawn.
Most people who keep aquarium fish like to fish as well. With this in mind Happy Trails
Aquatics is now raising bait fish (golden shiners) to supply to local anglers who use them
to catch largemouth bass on the famous bass fishing Lake Okeechobee, which is within an
hour's drive of our farm. We are also breeding bluegill and channel catfish which we stock
into local ponds or within a three hour drive of the farm.
Fish farming like all farming is a precarious business so you have to adapt. This is
our sixth year in business in spite of many setbacks we are still alive and kicking. The
setbacks are almost always weather condition related and you can't beat Mother Nature, So
you learn to live with her.
Visitors are welcome to the farm by appointment. This month's dress code is bring a
jacket - it's cold.
Visit Happy Trails Aquatics. Florida Fish Farm.Tropicals, Koi Carp and
Mosquito Fish, to control mosquito borne diseases. www.htaquatics.netfirms.com
See also Colin's other articles:
A Day in the Life of a Florida Fish Farm
Hoplosternum littorale
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