DISTRIBUTION:

Bighead carp is a freshwater species native from China, even though it has been introduced to almost every continent due to its suitability for mono- and polyculture.

HABITS:

Bighead carp is another of the essential species for the Chinese polyculture. Like silver carp, bighead is little competitive with other adult fishes, grows rapidly and is very resistant to diseases. Even though bighead carp mainly feeds on zooplankton, it is basically competitive with silver carp since both are plankton feeders.

SPAWNING:

Broodfish are kept in pre-spawning ponds at a density of 1.5 tons/ha. The sexes are kept together. Ovulation is induced by the administration of hypophysial extract from common carp, LRH-A and HCG. Ovulation can be induced in the following way: first injection, extract of carp hypophysis, 3-5 mg/fish; second injection, HCG, 1000 IU/kg. The ovulation rate is 70%, similar to that of silver carp.

GROWTH:

Bighead carp are usually reared for two years. Average weight at the end of the first year is between 50-150 g. Market size is reached by the end of the second year: 500-1000 g, depending on the amount of food present in the pond.

USES:

In addition to be raised as a food fish, some attempts have been tried to use bighead carp as a means of biological control. Success has been moderate, since bighead seems to select for the larger organisms of the plankton (macroalgae and zooplankton).

CULTURE:

Bighead carp can be raised either in polyculture with the rest of Chinese carps, or in monoculture ponds. Some catfish farmers of the Southern U.S. are stocking bighead in polyculture with catfish to diversify farm production and to make a more rational use of the natural productivity of ponds. When raised in polyculture with the other Chinese carps, bighead fingerlings are stocked at a density of 400/ha. For the second year of production, stocking rates are lowered to 80-100/ha.

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