Fish farming is one of the main sources of our farm income, so the pond must be prepared before fingerlings are released. If it is not a new pond, an old one can be prepared. The work must be done in stages. Here is how to prepare a pond before stocking fish.

• Pull out aquatic weeds, water hyacinth, water spinach and helencha by the roots.
• Remove predatory and unwanted fish completely.
• Spread lime at 1 kg per decimal.
• If the pond holds water, dissolve the lime in a drum or bucket, let it cool and spread it over the whole pond.
• Apply organic fertiliser a week after liming, taking the quality of the soil and water into account.
• If the pond is dry, spread fertiliser, lime and cow dung, plough it and then let water in.
• Kill any harmful insects in the pond before stocking fingerlings.
• Stock fingerlings once enough natural food has grown in the pond.
• Fingerlings should be 8–12 cm long.
• Release fingerlings into the pond in the proper way.

• If fingerlings are brought in a pot or polythene bag, float it in the pond water for 20–30 minutes before opening.
• Open the bag and let a little bag water into the pond and a little pond water into the bag.
• When the bag water and pond water are at the same temperature, dip the mouth of the container or bag halfway into the water, tilt it and release all the fingerlings.
• Morning and afternoon are the best times to release fingerlings.
• Give supplementary feed such as oil cake, rice bran and husk at 10am and 3pm.
• Farm disease-resistant fingerlings.
• Stock the right number of fingerlings.
• Make sure the fingerlings are free of disease before release.
• Make sure the pond gets enough sunlight.
• Dry the pond out completely every 3–4 years.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.