If you have a small reservoir in the compound, then why not start breeding carp there. Among the "advantages" of this venture, experts note the nutritional value, the rapid growth and the undemanding nature of the fish to the quality of the water. Moreover, its meat is almost completely absorbed in the human body. What a fish farmer should know, how to equip a pond at a dacha and what pitfalls in breeding carps are - you will learn all this from this article.
- Freshwater fish description
- Where to get fry for breeding
- How to breed carp
- In the pond
- In the pool
- What to feed
- What to do in winter
- Spawning period
- Additional equipment for efficient breeding
Freshwater fish description
Ichthyologists characterize carp (Cyprinus carpio) as a widespread freshwater fish that is a member of the genus Carp.
Today, people know about it in many parts of the world, even though Asian waters are considered to be her native. The fish successfully naturalized and became one of the most popular in the industrial group of fish farms in the temperate zone.
Naturalized individuals look different from savages. That is why, according to experts, in some regions of Ukraine, the name “sazan” characteristic for Russian traditions has taken root, which designate the semi-wild forms of carps. 
Within the aquaculture of our country, there are two species: Ukrainian flake and Ukrainian framed. Each of them has its own subtypes.
When growing carps in pools, mirror species that have long been popular with fishermen are most often practiced.
Their representatives have a thick body with a wide back, up to 1 m long. The weight of adults may be in the range of 35-120 kg.
But the species is heavier than 50 kg in our latitudes are not found. Such giants can be caught except in the waters of South-East Asia.
A specific sign of carp are swimmers, which can be light brown, bright red and even black. Scales on fish can be of different sizes, on some species it may be absent altogether.
The peculiarity of this fish is its precocity and fertility. Carps reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years of age. Under conditions of warm water, the temperature of which is not lower than 17 degrees, they lay more than 800 eggs.Where to get fry for breeding
For beginners, carp farming at home always begins with the purchase of fry. It is desirable to make a purchase on fish farms of narrow specialization.
Choose the one that has been working for a long time and has proven itself in the market. Learn about the availability of a license for this type of activity and ask as much about the fry as possible, what they are, how often and what they get sick, etc.
From these seemingly insignificant nuances depends on their survival in a new place. Before buying, examine the conditions in which the product is contained.
Many novice fish farmers mistakenly think that it is much easier to purchase unfertilized caviar, to build a Weiss machine at home and to raise fry yourself.
Of course, this method is cheaper, but without a special experience and knowledge, it is almost impossible to get a high-quality and winter-adapted youngster. 
Therefore, such a decision will cost you more, because sooner or later you still have to buy fertilized material on the fish farm.
How to breed carp
When you have already looked after a farm with an impeccable reputation and have decided on where you will buy fry, you can start preparing a home for fish. We will understand how to breed carp in the pond and pool.
In the pond
If you plan to grow fish in an old pond that was already in the garden, it will be enough just to clean it and take care of the vegetable food for the newcomers.
Then reinforce its shores with grass. During precipitation, its roots will not allow the soil to crawl to the bottom. After it is necessary to sow the reservoir pit with the necessary vegetation that will serve as feed for the fish. 
When the solution dries, a rubber film is lined onto it and only after that it is poured with water. Remember that carps are considered a heat-loving fish, therefore, it is highly undesirable to launch them into a cold pond.
Let the water settle and warm up to 24-26 degrees. To speed up the process of formation of the desired microflora, throw an armful of fresh grass into the pond or pour a couple of buckets of water from the wild pond.
A pond for carp breeding is best planned in the far corner of the garden, away from low-lying areas, roads and noisy production.
It is very important that the water surface is well lit. This will create favorable conditions for the development and growth of the tenants. If the water is cold or too hot, the fish will refuse food and will die.
In the pool
As in the previous version, the size of the reservoir should be at least 1 m deep and ranging from 15 to 150 cubic meters. m 
It does not matter what the pool is made of - the fish will take root well in wooden, ceramic, concrete and even plastic structures of any shape.
But in this case, there is an urgent need to equip the reservoir with a compressor, a UV sterilizer, an aerator, special filters and a drain system.
Despite these small efforts, many fish farmers prefer swimming pools. This is due to the simplified regulation of temperature and water exchange, which is vital for carps.
Such facilities are much easier to clean and maintain the necessary level of oxygen in them.
Recently, silo basins have appeared on sale, the essence of which is to supply water - it goes from the bottom and flows down around the perimeter of the tank in the measure of its filling. The only "minus" of these structures are their small size. 
Zaryblevat pools can only be when they form the necessary microflora.After the inhabitants appear in the reservoir, do not forget to periodically enrich the water with oxygen, pump up and drain it.
What to feed
If carps get a balanced and nutritious diet, then in 9 months from a tiny egg it’s quite realistic to grow a half-kilogram fish. And if the farmer knows what to feed the carp, then to achieve such a result is easy and at home.
Experts note that the fry prefers to eat infusoria, small crayfish, insect larvae, worms, mollusks. Adults are omnivores.
Experienced fish farmers distinguish several feeding technologies for carps:- Extensive. It consists in feeding fish exclusively with zooplankton and grass. The advantages of the method are in low production costs, and the disadvantages are in a small increase in living creatures (from 300 to 650 kg per unit area).
- Semi-intensive. At its base, zoological and agrotechnical feeds (corn, barley, wheat, oats) are laid in equal quantities. Due to bait fish farmers manage to achieve greater productivity (from 700 to 1500 kg). But in the hot period, approximately from June to September, there is not enough protein in the feed, which affects the productivity of the backwater. That is why experts advise to feed the omnivorous carp feed.
- Intense. In this technology, the main focus is on animal feed, which contain at least 40 percent protein. This option of feeding is considered the most productive (3-20 tons). It is used in large fish farms that specialize in marketable fish. With maximum use of the reservoir, which is a very positive side of the technology, there is pollution of water and the risk of infecting fish with pathogens.
They feed fish twice a day in a special place. For these purposes, you need to get a special tray, which is lowered into the water. Do not pour too much food, because in excess it only pollutes the water. A one-time feed rate is calculated within 3% of the weight of the fish.
What to do in winter
With a decrease in temperature, carps suspend the intensity of their food and, accordingly, the development. In the winter they go into hibernation.
In natural reservoirs, the fish winters well, and in small and shallow ponds at home can die. This is due to lack of oxygen.
There are several ways to fix the situation. The first one consists in a specially equipped reservoir (a hydraulic engineering device is installed in it to aerate and maintain the temperature at 0 degrees). Another wintering option involves the transfer of the creek into a large indoor aquarium.
Such carp can be returned to the former dwelling place only when the water in the garden pond warms up well, and those specimens that wintered in a special pond can be released immediately after the snow melts.
Spawning period
According to folk omens, carp spawning begins when wheat is in bloom. Often this period occurs in steadily warm days not earlier than the second decade of May and lasts about a month.
First of all, small fish spawn, then medium fish, and only then the largest specimens. In addition, carp toss their eggs in stages over several days.A special role in this process is played by the weather and water temperature.
If it gets colder outside, the fish suspend their actions until favorable conditions occur. At home, these fish love to lay eggs in shallow water in the same areas. Often it is glued to the coastal grass.
In such conditions, it is comfortable to develop before the appearance of fry. After spawning, the mature fish lays for a while on rest, and then begins to feed intensively and recuperate. 
Additional equipment for efficient breeding
Some fish farmers who specialize in carp are advised to equip their water bodies with a special device that will provide effective returns and high profits. For this use:
- special lighting;
- fish cages and cage lines;
- barrels;
- pumps;
- mechanical water filters;
- water reservoir cleaners (dredgers, and for large ponds reed mowers will be needed);
- ozonizers and ultraviolet sterilizers;
- car feeders for fish;
- oxygenators and oxygen generators;
- fish caviar incubators;
- water meters (rapid tests);
- installation of closed water supply and circulating water supply system.
