Shing is a popular fish in our country, but it is disappearing as the aquatic environment is endangered. This tasty fish needs to be farmed more widely to save it from extinction, so here is how to farm it.

• Shing can be farmed at high density.
• It can be farmed even in shallow ponds.
• It can be marketed alive.
• Its market price is comparatively high.

• A pond 1–1.5 metres deep is suitable for shing farming.
• Repair the pond banks and remove predatory fish from the pond.
• It is best if the pond can be dried out.
• Prepare the pond by applying 1 kg of lime, 6–10 kg of cow dung, 100 g of urea and 50 g of TSP fertiliser per decimal.

• When the water turns green or light brown 4–5 days after fertilising, stock 750–1,000 fingerlings per decimal.
• In a nursery pond, use 5–10-day-old fry or 3–4-day-old hatchlings.
• In a properly prepared nursery pond, up to 8,000–10,000 fry aged 5–10 days, or up to 100 g of hatchlings, can be stocked per decimal.
• Brood and stocked fish must be given balanced feed regularly.
• Before releasing hatchlings or fry into a nursery pond, remove harmful ducks, insects, tadpoles and the like.
• Fence the nursery pond with a net.
• Keep the pond banks high so the fish cannot escape during the rains.
• Stock healthy, strong fingerlings.
• Net the pond regularly to check the health of the fish.
• Keep an eye on water quality.

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