Method for domesticating mastacembelus giganteus
By using a gradient acclimatization method combining live tubifex worms and eel feed, the problem of monotonous feeding habits in artificial breeding of giant spiny loach was solved, achieving efficient and stable acclimatization results and high survival rates, reducing breeding costs, and ensuring the health and growth performance of the fish.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUIZHOU UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
In artificial breeding, the giant spiny loach has a single feeding habit and a strong dependence on live bait, which leads to refusal to eat, severe stress response, decreased immunity and slow growth. Existing feeding materials are expensive, easily perishable, have limited palatability, have a long domestication period and low survival rate.
Using live tubifex worms as attractants and eel formulated feed as the target acclimatization feed, the amount of tubifex worms added is gradually reduced and the proportion of eel feed is gradually increased through a five-stage gradient mixing and fixed-point feeding method until it is completely converted to pure eel feed.
It achieved efficient and stable feeding training, with a survival rate of over 95%, avoiding stress reactions, reducing breeding costs, ensuring fish health and growth performance, and preventing refusal to eat in the later stages.
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a method for domesticating large spiny loach, belonging to the field of aquaculture technology. Background Technology
[0002] The giant spiny loach (Mastacembelus armatus), also known as the spicy spiny loach, stone spiny loach, or knife loach, is a distinctive freshwater high-quality economic fish in my country. It has firm and delicious flesh, high nutritional value, and significant market economic benefits, and its artificial breeding scale has been gradually expanding in recent years.
[0003] In their natural environment, the spiny loach is a typical carnivorous bottom-dwelling fish that prefers to feed on live prey throughout its life. It primarily preys on live food such as tubifex worms, aquatic insect larvae, small crustaceans, and zooplankton. Its feeding habits are singular, and it is extremely dependent on live prey. In artificial breeding, if directly fed formulated feed, the spiny loach will exhibit severe anorexia, poor feeding activity, intense stress responses, weakened immunity, and slow growth, easily leading to mass mortality and severely hindering the intensive and large-scale artificial breeding of the spiny loach.
[0004] Currently, the industry's methods for training large spiny loaches to eat mainly involve using shrimp paste, fish paste, chironomid larvae, and mealworms as feed acclimation supplements. However, these methods have significant drawbacks: shrimp paste and fish paste are expensive, easily spoil, and pollute water; chironomid larvae can carry pathogens and parasites, and pose a risk of allergic reactions upon contact with humans; the palatability of various traditional feed acclimation materials is limited, and the acclimation transition rhythm is unreasonable, which can easily lead to feed transition failure, long acclimation periods, low survival rates, and reversion to ancestral feeding behaviors in the later stages.
[0005] Therefore, developing an efficient, stable, and low-cost training method specifically for giant spiny loach is of great practical significance for promoting the healthy development of the giant spiny loach industry. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for domesticating the giant spiny loach. This method offers advantages such as high efficiency, stability, and low cost, and is of significant practical importance for promoting the healthy development of the giant spiny loach industry.
[0007] The technical solution of this invention: A method for acclimating spiny loach, using live tubifex worms as attractants and eel feed as the target acclimation feed. The treated tubifex worms and eel feed are mixed with water to form a soft, pellet-like bait. The spiny loach are then subjected to a gradient acclimation process in five stages, with each stage (first to fourth) lasting 4-5 days.
[0008] In the first stage, tubifex worms and eel feed were mixed at a weight ratio of 4:1, and the feeding rate was 8% to 12% of the fish's body weight.
[0009] In the second stage, tubifex worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 3:2, and the feeding rate is 12% to 15% of the fish's body weight.
[0010] In the third stage, tubifex worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 2:3, and the feeding rate is 15% to 18% of the fish's body weight.
[0011] In the fourth stage, tubifex worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 1:4, and the feeding rate is 18% to 20% of the fish's body weight.
[0012] In the fifth stage, feed the fish with pure eel feed alone, mix it with water to form a soft ball, and feed it at a rate of 15% to 18% of its body weight. Continue feeding for 5 to 7 days until the giant spiny loach is feeding steadily.
[0013] In the aforementioned method for domesticating large spiny loach, during the phased and gradual domestication process, the loach is fed twice a day at fixed times, namely 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, using a fixed-point feeding method.
[0014] In the aforementioned method for domesticating large spiny loach, before the phased and gradient domestication and feeding, large spiny loach of uniform size, with intact body surface, and free from disease are selected and temporarily kept in the aquaculture water. The water temperature is controlled at 25±0.5℃, the dissolved oxygen content in the water is ≥6mg / L, and the loach is starved for 1 to 2 days in the early stage of domestication.
[0015] In the aforementioned method for domesticating large spiny loach, the feed pretreatment is required before the phased and gradient domestication and feeding. Fresh tubifex worms are disinfected by soaking them in 3% to 5% saline solution by body weight for 10 to 15 minutes, rinsed with clean water, and then crushed into a paste.
[0016] In the aforementioned method of acclimatizing large spiny loach, the breeding environment should be kept quiet during the acclimatization period, avoiding direct sunlight and human noise. The water should be changed, oxygenated, and the bottom drained regularly. The daily water change should be controlled at 1 / 3 to 1 / 2. Uneaten food and dead individuals should be cleaned up in time to maintain stable water quality.
[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:
[0018] 1. Excellent feeding effect and high domestication efficiency. It uses fresh tubifex worms, which are the natural food of giant spiny loach, as the core feeding material. The natural fishy smell is strong and palatable, which can quickly activate the feeding instinct of giant spiny loach. Compared with traditional feeding materials such as shrimp paste and bloodworms, the feeding is initiated faster.
[0019] 2. Gradual and step-by-step feed transition minimizes stress risk. By precisely reducing the amount of tubifex worms in five stages, the proportion of eel feed is steadily increased, avoiding problems such as stress, refusal to eat, body rot, and death caused by a one-time feed change. The survival rate of domestication can reach over 95%.
[0020] 3. The transition to live feed is thorough and stable, gradually reducing the smell of live bait and continuously strengthening the giant spiny loach's feeding memory of eel feed. Eventually, the loach completely abandons live bait and steadily feeds pure eel feed for a long period of time, without any reversion to feeding later.
[0021] 4. Raw materials are readily available and inexpensive. Water worm farming and breeding are simple and the market supply is sufficient. Eel feed has a high degree of commercialization. The overall farming input cost is low. No special equipment is required throughout the process. Farmers and large-scale farms can directly implement it.
[0022] 5. High safety in aquaculture: Water worms are disinfected with salt water, which effectively kills parasites and pathogens on their bodies, reducing the occurrence of diseases introduced by feed. Water quality is well controlled during the domestication period, further improving the health of the fish. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments, but these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
[0024] An embodiment of the present invention: a method for taming the large spiny loach, specifically including the following steps:
[0025] 1) Select large spiny loaches that are uniform in size, have intact bodies, and are healthy and free from disease. Place them in the aquaculture water for temporary rearing, control the water temperature at 25±0.5℃, and ensure that the dissolved oxygen content in the water is not less than 6mg / L. Starve them for 1-2 days in the early stage of acclimatization to enhance their appetite.
[0026] 2) Feed pretreatment: Use live tubifex worms as attractants and select eel formulated feed as target acclimatization feed; disinfect live tubifex worms by soaking them in 3% to 5% saline solution (by body weight) for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse them with clean water, and then crush them into a paste.
[0027] 3) Segmented and graded acclimatization: The entire acclimatization cycle is divided into five stages. Each stage, from the first to the fourth, lasts 4-5 days. Feeding is done twice daily at fixed times, at 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, using a fixed-point feeding method.
[0028] In the first stage, the water worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 4:1, and water is added to knead the mixture into soft balls. The feeding rate is 8% to 12% of the fish's body weight.
[0029] In the second stage, the water worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 3:2, and water is added to knead the mixture into soft balls. The feeding rate is 12% to 15% of the fish's body weight.
[0030] In the third stage, the water worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 2:3, and water is added to knead the mixture into soft balls. The feeding rate is 15% to 18% of the fish's body weight.
[0031] In the fourth stage, the fish feed is mixed with tubifex worms at a weight ratio of 1:4, and then mixed with water to form soft balls. The feeding rate is 18% to 20% of the fish's body weight.
[0032] In the fifth stage, feed the fish with pure eel feed alone, mix it with water to form a soft ball, and feed it at a rate of 15% to 18% of its body weight. Continue feeding for 5 to 7 days until the giant spiny loach is feeding steadily.
[0033] Daily management during the acclimatization period: During the acclimatization period, keep the breeding environment quiet, avoid direct sunlight and human noise disturbance, regularly change the water, increase oxygen and drain the bottom of the breeding water, control the daily water change volume to 1 / 3 to 1 / 2, and clean up uneaten feed and dead individuals in time to maintain water quality stability.
[0034] In the method of this invention, tubifex worms are one of the most important natural baits in the native environment of giant spiny loach. They have good palatability, strong natural attractant, high protein content, wide availability of raw materials, and low breeding cost. By using tubifex worms as a specific attractant and combining them with a precise gradient ratio of eel feed, giant spiny loach can be smoothly transitioned to pure eel feed throughout the entire process.
[0035] To verify the effectiveness of the method of the present invention, the following experiment was conducted:
[0036] Experimental group: The feeding method of this invention was used.
[0037] Control group A: Traditional "shrimp paste + compound feed" mixed domestication method.
[0038] Control group B: Direct "one-time live feed interruption and feed conversion method" (direct feeding of pure compound feed).
[0039] Table 1. Feeding Inducement Effect and Domestication Efficiency
[0040] Feeding initiation time 1.2 days 3.5 days >5 days (refusal to eat) Complete material transfer time 20 days 28 days Incomplete Domestication success rate 95.5% 72.3% 35.0%
[0041] Table 1 shows that the experimental group, utilizing the natural fishy smell of tubifex worms, shortened the feeding initiation time by nearly two days. Because the giant spiny loach has a strong affinity for tubifex worms, the fish in the experimental group quickly gathered after feeding and competed fiercely for food, significantly outperforming the control group A (which used shrimp paste) and far exceeding the control group B (which was directly deprived of food and refused to eat).
[0042] Table 2 Stress response and survival rate
[0043] Mortality rate during domestication 4.2% 18.5% 45.8% Stress response No obvious stress, normal body color Occasionally, one might see someone brushing against them or hiding. Rotten body, congestion of the skin surface, bulging eyes Refusal to eat rate 0% 15% 60%
[0044] As shown in Table 2, the experimental group, through a gradual transition using a "five-stage precise ratio," exhibited excellent physiological adaptation and a survival rate exceeding 95%, completely avoiding "body rot" and death caused by feed change stress. In contrast, the control group B suffered from a collapse of immunity due to drastic environmental changes, resulting in an extremely high mortality rate.
[0045] Table 3. Material Transfer Stability and Later Performance
[0046] Feed intake in the first week after switching to a new diet Steady rise Large fluctuations Continued decline Weight gain on day 30 58.6% 32.1% 8.5% Atavism none Occasional occurrence (live bait needs to be added) Severe (complete refusal to eat)
[0047] Table 3 shows that the experimental group maintained a strong appetite and gained significantly more weight than other groups even after being completely weaned off live food. This proves that the method was very successful in establishing a "conditioned reflex," and the giant spiny loach formed a strong feeding memory for eel food, without any subsequent reversion to feeding.
[0048] The comparative experimental data above demonstrate that this method for acclimating giant spiny loach exhibits significant advantages in growth performance, survival rate, cost control, and safety. In particular, the survival rate of over 95% and the extremely low disease rate directly prove the immense value of this method in actual production.
Claims
1. A method for domesticating the large spiny loach, characterized in that: Using live tubifex worms as attractants and eel feed as the target acclimatization feed, the treated tubifex worms and eel feed were mixed with water to form soft pellets. The large spiny loach were then subjected to a gradient acclimatization and rearing process in five stages, with each stage (first to fourth) lasting 4-5 days. In the first stage, tubifex worms and eel feed were mixed at a weight ratio of 4:1, and the feeding rate was 8% to 12% of the fish's body weight. In the second stage, tubifex worms and eel formulated feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 3:2, and the feeding rate is 12% to 15% of the fish's body weight. In the third stage, tubifex worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 2:3, and the feeding rate is 15% to 18% of the fish's body weight. In the fourth stage, tubifex worms and eel feed are mixed at a weight ratio of 1:4, and the feeding rate is 18% to 20% of the fish's body weight. In the fifth stage, feed the fish with pure eel feed alone, mix it with water to form a soft ball, and feed it at a rate of 15% to 18% of its body weight. Continue feeding for 5 to 7 days until the giant spiny loach is feeding steadily.
2. The method for domesticating the large spiny loach according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the phased and gradual domestication and feeding process, the animals are fed twice a day at fixed times, at 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, using a fixed-point feeding method.
3. The method for domesticating the large spiny loach according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before the phased and gradient domestication and rearing, select large spiny loaches that are uniform in size, have intact bodies, and are healthy and free from diseases. Place them in the aquaculture water for temporary rearing, control the water temperature at 25±0.5℃, and the dissolved oxygen content in the water ≥6mg / L. Starve them for 1-2 days in the early stage of domestication.
4. The method for domesticating the large spiny loach according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before the phased and gradient domestication and feeding, feed pretreatment is required. Fresh water worms are disinfected by soaking in 3% to 5% saline solution of body weight for 10 to 15 minutes, rinsed with clean water, and then crushed into a paste.
5. The method for domesticating the large spiny loach according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the acclimatization period, keep the breeding environment quiet, avoid direct sunlight and human noise disturbance, regularly change the water, oxygenate, and drain the bottom of the breeding water. The daily water change volume should be controlled at 1 / 3 to 1 / 2. Remove uneaten feed and dead individuals in time to maintain water quality stability.