Native magur is a tasty and delicious fish, liked by almost every class of people in the country, and is in demand everywhere as a nutritious food. Above all, magur is a jiol fish: thanks to an extra breathing organ it can survive out of water for a long time and take oxygen directly from the air, which is why such fish are called jiol fish. Their market price and demand are high, so farmers profit financially from farming magur.
Choosing and preparing the pond
The first step is choosing the right pond. It should be 10 to 33 decimals in area and 80 to 120 centimetres deep. Greater depth hinders production, because magur always has to come to the surface to breathe, and the extra energy spent slows the fish's growth.
The top of the pond bank must be kept at least 30 centimetres (1 foot) above the highest flood level. This stops the fish crawling out on their bellies during rain and keeps snakes, frogs and other fish-eating animals from getting in. A 30cm-high net fence around the banks is also advisable.
Dry the pond bottom, plough it lightly, test the soil pH and apply lime at 1 to 1.5kg per decimal. After liming, let in 15 centimetres (6 inches) of water and hold it for about a week.
Seven days after applying organic fertiliser, with the water level kept at up to 60 centimetres, apply 200 grams of urea, 100 grams of TSP and 20 grams of MoP per decimal. There is no need for inorganic fertiliser while the water is brownish green, reddish brown, light green, reddish green or green.
Stocking and feeding
Healthy fry 5 to 8 centimetres long can be stocked at 50 to 80 per square metre. May to June is the right time to release magur fry.
Magur mainly feeds on food at the bottom of the water body. This natural food consists of decaying protein matter on the bottom, zooplankton and small animals such as earthworms.
For high-density farming, supplementary feed must be given. It can be made from cheap local ingredients: mix 40 per cent rice bran, 30 per cent oilseed cake and 30 per cent dried fish, roll into balls and feed to the fish. Snail and mussel meat is also a great favourite of magur. Feed 5 to 10 per cent of the total weight of stocked fish daily, a quarter in the morning and the remaining three quarters in the evening.
Source: Staff Correspondent. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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