Cultivation system special for coilia ectenes in wintering period in northern area
By combining a greenhouse and an earthen pond cultivation system with microporous oxygenation and submerged plants, the high cost and environmental instability of juvenile anchovies during winter have been solved, achieving efficient and low-cost winter cultivation and improving fish health and growth rate.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 丹东市海洋与渔业发展服务中心
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-01
AI Technical Summary
Traditional methods for overwintering juvenile anchovies suffer from high costs, poor insulation, unstable aquatic environments, low self-purification capabilities, and immature biological symbiotic relationships, leading to high overwintering risks and increased farming costs.
The cultivation system combines a solar greenhouse with an earthen pond, and integrates microporous oxygenation trays, submerged plant planting areas, waterwheel aerators, and purification areas to create a suitable aquatic environment. It provides suitable water temperature, water quality, and biological symbiosis, and uses Roots blowers and rolling shutters for insulation and ventilation management.
It achieves suitable aquatic environment and microecological conditions, reduces breeding costs, shortens the breeding cycle, improves fish health and growth rate, reduces disease risk, simplifies operation procedures, and reduces labor requirements.
Smart Images
Figure CN224178943U_ABST
Abstract
Description
A breeding system specifically designed for overwintering of Coilia ectenes in northern regions Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of anchovy seedling cultivation, specifically a cultivation system for anchovy overwintering in northern regions. Background Technology
[0002] The Chinese anchovy, once a common fish in my country, has suffered a sharp decline in resources due to environmental changes and overfishing. Its natural distribution in its native habitats, the Yangtze River estuary and Liao River estuary, is now on the verge of extinction. Artificial breeding of the Chinese anchovy plays a crucial role in protecting and restoring its resources and preserving biodiversity. From hatching to market, the Chinese anchovy requires at least two years of cultivation, during which it undergoes two overwintering periods. In northern regions, the overwintering period is longer, lasting approximately five months. Young Chinese anchovy fry cannot overwinter in outdoor earthen ponds; therefore, artificial facilities must be provided to help them survive the winter. During overwintering, several challenges must be addressed, including transportation, stress management, temperature control, disease resistance, feeding, and early spring rearing. Creating a suitable overwintering rearing system is the primary issue determining the success of Chinese anchovy farming.
[0003] The traditional methods for overwintering juvenile anchovies have the following drawbacks: (1) They consume fossil fuels, which are expensive and greatly increase the cost of breeding; (2) Due to structural limitations, it is difficult to add heat preservation facilities, which leads to a rapid drop in the temperature; (3) Traditional methods simply use probiotics to regulate water quality, but the basic water temperature cannot meet the bacterial reproduction, resulting in low water regulation efficiency; (4) The method of planting aquatic plants is not adopted, which affects the stability of the water body; (5) Single species cultivation does not form a symbiotic relationship between organisms, which affects each other and benefits each other; (6) The overwintering system is unstable and the overwintering risk is extremely high. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a special breeding system for the overwintering period of Anchovy in northern regions, which solves the problems of high overwintering costs, poor heat preservation, inability to provide a stable water environment, and low self-purification ability in the current overwintering breeding process of Anchovy juveniles.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0006] A cultivation system specifically designed for overwintering of Coilia ectenes in northern regions comprises a combination of a solar greenhouse and an earthen pond within it. The greenhouse's support frame consists of a second structural support on the sunny side and a first structural support on the shady side, which are inclined together to form an A-frame structure. A screen is vertically installed along three-quarters of the length of the earthen pond, dividing it into two areas: a rearing area (three-quarters) and a purification area (one-quarter). The rearing area has microporous oxygenation discs at the bottom, with submerged plant planting areas between adjacent rows of discs. The microporous oxygenation discs are evenly distributed on both sides of the pond bottom. A waterwheel-type aerator is installed in the purification area, separated by a mesh screen and located in one corner of the purification area.
[0007] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions has a larger slope on the first structural support on the shaded side, with an angle of 60-75° to the ground, while the slope on the second structural support on the sunny side is gentler, with an angle of 40-45° to the ground.
[0008] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions uses a galvanized steel pipe support frame. The front and rear sides of the support frame are enclosed structures. The upper part of the front enclosed structure is equipped with an exhaust fan and the lower part with a door. The rear enclosed structure of the support frame is equipped with a ventilation opening. Both the ventilation opening and the exhaust fan are equipped with louvers.
[0009] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions has an insulation layer laid on the outside of the first structural support and a light-transmitting plastic film or polycarbonate sheet laid on the outside of the second structural support. A roller shutter machine for raising and lowering the insulation layer is installed at the top overlap of the first and second structural support.
[0010] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions features a Roots blower installed on the outside of a solar greenhouse. The Roots blower enters the solar greenhouse through PVC pipes and connects to a microporous oxygenation plate in an earthen pond.
[0011] The aforementioned cultivation system for the wintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions consists of an earthen pond with an upper opening size of 120m × 15m, a depth of 1.5m, and a slope ratio of 1:1.5 to 2.0. The slope is covered with aquaculture geotextile, and the bottom of the earthen pond is mechanically compacted to form a rammed earth layer with a thickness of 10 to 20cm.
[0012] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions involves laying soft soil and a plastic net at the bottom of an earthen pond. The mesh size of the plastic net is 10cm × 10cm.
[0013] The aforementioned cultivation system for the wintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions uses PVC pipes with a diameter of 50mm connected to form a square hollow floating feeding area with a side length of 1 to 1.5m. The floating feeding area is set on the water surface of the breeding area and is stably suspended on the water surface.
[0014] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of Anchovy in northern regions involves laying a microporous oxygenation disc at the bottom of the breeding area for every 10 square meters. The microporous oxygenation disc is a cylinder with a diameter of 50-100cm and a height of 10-20cm, and the micropore size on the microporous oxygenation disc is 20-30 micrometers.
[0015] The aforementioned cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy in northern regions consists of a long strip of earth 50-100cm high with a trapezoidal cross-section, in which submerged plants are planted, accounting for 30-50% of the total area of the breeding area.
[0016] This invention provides a cultivation system specifically designed for the overwintering period of Coilia ectenes in northern regions, which has the following advantages and beneficial effects:
[0017] 1. When cultivating juvenile anchovies during the overwintering period, this utility model can provide a suitable aquatic environment for the juvenile anchovies, including suitable water temperature, water quality, aquatic plants and animals, etc.
[0018] 2. When cultivating juvenile anchovies during the overwintering period, this utility model can effectively repair the mechanical damage caused to the juvenile anchovies during transportation and provide a suitable micro-ecological environment.
[0019] 3. When using this invention to cultivate juvenile anchovies during the overwintering period, the juvenile anchovies can now feed and grow normally due to the provision of a suitable aquatic environment, which originally allowed them to only maintain the minimum survival conditions. This transforms the overwintering period into a growth period, greatly shortening the breeding cycle.
[0020] 4. When this utility model is used for the overwintering cultivation of juvenile anchovies, it eliminates the boundary between the overwintering period and the early spring cultivation period, thus changing the previous situation where the fish were weak after the overwintering period ended and frequently suffered from diseases and a soaring mortality rate after entering the early spring cultivation period.
[0021] 5. When this utility model is used for the overwintering cultivation of juvenile anchovies, the system meets the required environment, allowing for the feeding of various frozen biological feeds such as brine shrimp, copepods, cladocerans, and mantis shrimp, which greatly reduces the breeding cost and rapidly improves the health of the fish.
[0022] 6. This utility model is extremely simple to operate, requires little manpower, and only one worker is needed to operate multiple overwintering cultivation systems, making it highly efficient.
[0023] 7. This utility model can meet the environmental conditions required for the cultivation of juvenile anchovies during the overwintering period, reduce secondary damage to juvenile anchovies caused by unsuitable natural environment, maximize their growth, shorten the breeding cycle, increase market demand for fish to be harvested before Qingming Festival, and greatly improve breeding income. Attached Figure Description
[0024] Figure 1 is a side view of the cultivation system for overwintering *Coilia ectenes* of this invention. In the figure, 1 is a roller shutter machine, 2 is the first structural support (shaded side), 3 is a Roots blower, 4 is a ladder, 5 is a ventilation fan, 6 is the second structural support (sunny side), 7 is a door, and 17 is a greenhouse.
[0025] Figure 2 is a top view of the internal earthen pond of the cultivation system for overwintering anchovies of this utility model. In the figure, 8 is a microporous oxygenation disc, 9 is a floating feeding area, 10 is a submerged plant planting area, 11 is a waterwheel aerator, 12 is a partition net, 13 is a purification area, 18 is an earthen pond, 19 is a breeding area, and 20 is a screen.
[0026] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the earthen pond inside the cultivation system for the overwintering period of the Chinese anchovy of this utility model. In the figure, 8 is the microporous oxygenation plate, 9 is the floating feeding area, 10 is the submerged plant planting area, 14 is the pond bank, 15 is the submerged plant, 16 is the rammed earth layer, and 18 is the earthen pond. Detailed Implementation
[0027] The present invention will now be further described in detail with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.
[0028] As shown in Figures 1-3, this utility model proposes a cultivation system specifically for the overwintering period of Coilia ectenes in northern regions. It consists of a greenhouse 17 and an earthen pond 18 within the greenhouse 17. The system mainly includes: a curtain machine 1, a first structural support 2 (shaded side), a Roots blower 3, a ladder 4, a ventilation fan 5, a second structural support 6 (sunny side), a door 7, a microporous oxygenation tray 8, a floating feeding area 9, a submerged plant planting area 10, a waterwheel aerator 11, a partition net 12, a purification area 13, pond banks 14, submerged plants 15, and a rammed earth layer 16, etc. The specific structure is as follows:
[0029] The supporting frame of greenhouse 17 consists of a second structural support 6 located on the sunny side and a first structural support 2 located on the shady side. The first structural support 2 and the second structural support 6 are erected at an angle to form an "A" shape to ensure the overall strength of the greenhouse system. The shady side has a steeper slope, with an angle of 60–75° to the ground, while the sunny side has a gentler slope, with an angle of 40–45° to the ground. The supporting frame is constructed using galvanized steel pipes. The front and rear sides of the supporting frame are enclosed by walls. An exhaust fan 5 is installed at the top of the enclosed front structure, and a door 7 is installed at the bottom. Ventilation openings are provided on the enclosed rear structure. Both the ventilation openings and the exhaust fans are equipped with louvers to prevent cold air backflow.
[0030] The outer side of the first structural support component 2 is covered with an insulation layer such as cotton quilts, felt, or straw mats to resist the invasion of northerly winds in winter. The outer side of the second structural support component 6 is covered with a light-transmitting plastic film or polycarbonate sheet to ensure sufficient light inside the greenhouse. A rolling shutter machine 1 is installed at the top overlap of the first structural support component 2 and the second structural support component 6. The rolling shutter machine 1 is used to raise and lower the insulation layer such as cotton quilts, felt, or straw mats. A Roots blower 3 is installed on the outer side of the greenhouse 17. The Roots blower 3 enters the greenhouse 17 through PVC pipes and connects to the microporous oxygenation plate 8 in the earthen pond 18. A ladder 4 is installed on the outer side of the first structural support component 2. The ladder 4 provides access for the installation and maintenance of the rolling shutter machine 1 at the top of the support frame.
[0031] The earthen pond 18 can be converted from a traditional earthen pond. The surface is treated to prevent seepage, and then topsoil from the original pond is added. The pond's top dimensions are 120m × 15m, with a depth of 2m and a slope ratio (vertical height to horizontal width) of 1:1.5–2.0. Aquaculture geotextile is applied to the slope to retain soil. After natural settlement, the bottom of the earthen pond 18 needs to be mechanically compacted to form a rammed earth layer 16, 10–20cm thick, primarily to enhance structural stability and reduce water leakage. Soft soil and a plastic mesh with a mesh size of 10cm × 10cm can be laid at the bottom of the earthen pond 18 to prepare for subsequent planting of aquatic plants. The top of the earthen pond 18 is surrounded by a pond embankment 14, which is 30cm higher than the water surface.
[0032] A 40-mesh screen 20 is vertically installed at three-quarters of the length of the earthen pond 18, dividing the earthen pond 18 into two areas: three-quarters is the aquaculture area 19 (east side) and one-quarter is the purification area 13 (west side).
[0033] Microporous oxygenation discs 8 are laid at the bottom of the aquaculture area 19, ensuring one disc 8 is placed every 10 square meters. These discs are connected to Roots blowers 3, which supply oxygen. Each microporous oxygenation disc 8 is cylindrical, 80cm in diameter and 16cm high, with micropores of 20-30 micrometers in size. Submerged plant planting areas 10 are set between adjacent rows of microporous oxygenation discs 8. The discs 8 are evenly distributed on the bottom of the earthen ponds on both sides of the planting areas. Each planting area 10 is a long strip of earth 80cm high with a trapezoidal cross-section, planted with submerged plants 15. Submerged plants (such as Elodea nuttallii and Vallisneria natans) are planted in the aquaculture area, covering 40% of the total area. Aquatic plants are especially important below the floating feeding area to provide hiding places for small shrimp.
[0034] A square, hollow, floating feeding area 9 with sides of 1-1.5m is formed by connecting PVC pipes with a diameter of 50mm. The floating feeding area 9 is set on the water surface of the breeding area 19 and can be stably suspended on the water surface. It can automatically adjust its height according to the water level, which meets the feeding habits of the anchovy (a mid-to-upper-level feeding fish). It has the functions of dynamic water level adaptation, precise feeding and ecological protection. It is a targeted design for the feeding habits of the anchovy during the overwintering period and the characteristics of the northern environment. It solves the limitations of the traditional fixed feeding area and improves the breeding efficiency and water quality management effect.
[0035] A 1kW waterwheel-type aerator 11 is installed in purification zone 13. Separated by a mesh screen 12, the aerator 11 is located in one corner of purification zone 13, driving the circulation of water throughout the earthen pond. The waterwheel-type aerator is responsible for surface oxygenation and water circulation. The aerator and the microporous oxygenation disc work together through different mechanisms to form a "three-dimensional oxygenation system." Additionally, purification zone 13 can employ a combination of floating and submerged aquatic plants for water purification.
[0036] Example
[0037] In this embodiment, the operations for each stage of raising and overwintering juvenile Anchovy are as follows:
[0038] (1) Outdoor rearing of juvenile Anchovy
[0039] Once the fertilized eggs of the anchovy have hatched and grown to over 7cm in length during the seedling stage, are healthy, free from disease and injury, and are feeding normally, meeting the energy reserve requirements for overwintering, preparations for the overwintering period of the anchovy juveniles can begin.
[0040] (2) Preparations for overwintering systems
[0041] Check the operation of all supporting equipment required within the overwintering system, including the curtain machine, Roche blower, and waterwheel aerator. Start the Roche blower and test the operation of the microporous aeration disc in the earthen pond. Add 20cm of water to the earthen pond, test for leaks, and loosen the areas within the pond where submerged plants are planned to be planted, or pre-lay 10cm of soil in the grass-planting area to facilitate subsequent grass planting.
[0042] (3) Planting aquatic plants
[0043] Plant *Elodea nuttallii* using a soil-pressing method, spacing it 2m-4m apart, using 20kg / 667㎡-25kg / 667㎡ of aquatic plants. Interplant *Vallisneria natans*, *Hydrilla verticillata*, or *Elodea nuttallii* as needed. The aquatic plant coverage should ideally be 40%-60% of the entire pond, maintaining a reasonable layout with 2-4 meter wide channels between aquatic plant strips. Pay special attention to covering the area under the feeding platform. Plant *Vallisneria natans*, *Hydrilla verticillata*, or *Elodea nuttallii* in the purification zone, ensuring complete aquatic plant coverage. Inoculate the water surface with *Lemna minor* and *Water hyacinth*.
[0044] (4) Improve water purification efficiency
[0045] The purification zone requires the waterwheel aerator to be turned on to drive the water flow and run idle for more than 10 days in advance. During this period, a small number of crucian carp can be introduced into the aquaculture area and fed artificial compound feed to acclimate them. Ventilation facilities should be turned on in a timely manner to maintain the water temperature above 20℃, and the micro-pore aeration system should be turned on to increase water agitation and improve water circulation efficiency.
[0046] (5) Young anchovies are released into the pond
[0047] Juvenile anchovies were transported to the rearing area while still submerged in water and stocked at a density of 40,000 fish per acre. Anti-stress medication was administered to the rearing area beforehand. Mechanical damage was avoided during transport, and the transport water was maintained at a salinity of 3‰ with continuous oxygenation. Acclimation feeding began 24 hours after stocking.
[0048] (6) Overwintering cultivation
[0049] Twenty-four hours after the juvenile anchovies are introduced into the pond, they are trained to be fed frozen cladocerans or brine shrimp three times a day, at a rate of 6 kg / mu / time for the first month. In the second month, they are trained to be fed frozen shrimp, with a daily feed amount calculated as 3% of the total fish weight. Daily management includes patrolling the pond three times a day, promptly removing dead fish, and observing the growth of aquatic plants. Aquatic plants that grow too vigorously should be removed promptly to prevent them from rotting in the water due to mutual obstruction. Maintain smooth water circulation in the overwintering system, monitoring the water temperature to be stable above 20℃, with an extreme temperature not lower than 16℃. Adjust the operation of the rolling shutters according to sunlight exposure, and use the insulation blankets for optimal results.
[0050] (6) Young anchovies are released from the pond after overwintering.
[0051] In April of the following year, the water temperature in the outdoor earthen pond rose above 15℃, marking the end of the anchovy's overwintering period. Observe the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the greenhouse, and adjust the ventilation by increasing the plastic film as needed to gradually lower the water temperature in the earthen pond. Before transfer, the fish need to be withheld from food for 24-36 hours, and the transfer can begin once the water quality in the outdoor earthen pond has stabilized.
[0052] The results show that this invention, a specialized overwintering rearing system for anchovies, is designed and customized according to the characteristics of overwintering in northern regions. Constructed from simple and readily available materials, it meets the necessary aquatic environment requirements for juvenile anchovies during overwintering, overcomes various unfavorable factors, and eliminates the abrupt changes in the rearing environment caused by traditional overwintering methods, thus reducing mortality. Simultaneously, it trains anchovies to feed on frozen feed, significantly reducing rearing costs and enhancing the physique of juveniles. Due to its simple operation, extremely low daily maintenance costs, and strong self-purification capabilities, this invention can provide suitable overwintering conditions for high-value aquaculture species such as anchovies.
Claims
1. A culture system for Coilia ectenes taiwanensis in the northern region during the overwintering period, characterized in that, The system comprises a solar greenhouse and an earthen pond within it. The greenhouse's support frame consists of a second structural support on the sunny side and a first structural support on the shady side, which are erected at an angle to form an "A" shape. A screen is vertically installed along three-quarters of the length of the earthen pond, dividing it into two areas: a three-quarters aquaculture zone and a one-quarter purification zone. The aquaculture zone has microporous oxygenation trays at the bottom, with submerged plant planting areas between adjacent rows of trays. The microporous oxygenation trays are evenly distributed on both sides of the pond bottom. A waterwheel-type aerator is installed in the purification zone, separated by a mesh screen and located in one corner of the purification zone.
2. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first structural support on the shaded side has a larger slope, with an angle of 60-75° to the ground, while the second structural support on the sunny side has a gentler slope, with an angle of 40-45° to the ground.
3. The culturing system for Coilia ectenes in the northern region during the overwintering period according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame is constructed using galvanized steel pipes. The front and rear sides of the support frame are enclosed structures. The upper part of the front enclosed structure is equipped with an exhaust fan, and the lower part is equipped with a door. The rear enclosed structure of the support frame is equipped with a ventilation opening. Both the ventilation opening and the exhaust fan are equipped with louvers.
4. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, An insulation layer is laid on the outside of the first structural support member, and a light-transmitting plastic film or polycarbonate sheet is laid on the outside of the second structural support member. A roller shutter machine for raising and lowering the insulation layer is installed at the top overlap of the first and second structural support members.
5. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, A Roots blower is installed on the outside of the greenhouse. The Roots blower enters the greenhouse through PVC pipes and connects to the microporous oxygenation plate in the earthen pond.
6. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The earthen pond has an opening size of 120m × 15m and a depth of 1.5m. The slope ratio is 1:1.5 to 2.
0. The slope is covered with aquaculture geotextile. The bottom of the earthen pond is mechanically compacted to form a rammed earth layer with a thickness of 10 to 20cm.
7. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the earthen pond is covered with soft soil and a plastic net with a mesh size of 10cm x 10cm.
8. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Coilia ectenes* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, A square hollow floating feeding area with a side length of 1 to 1.5m is formed by connecting PVC pipes with a diameter of 50mm. The floating feeding area is set on the water surface of the aquaculture area and is stably suspended on the water surface.
9. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, A microporous oxygenation disc is laid at the bottom of the breeding area for every 10 square meters. The microporous oxygenation disc is a cylinder with a diameter of 50-100cm and a height of 10-20cm. The micropore size on the microporous oxygenation disc is 20-30 micrometers.
10. The cultivation system for the overwintering period of *Anchovy* in northern regions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The submerged plant planting area consists of long strips of earth, 50-100cm high and trapezoidal in cross-section. Submerged plants are planted in the submerged plant planting area, which accounts for 30-50% of the total area of the aquaculture area.