THE ANGELFISH LOCUS

Copy Right The World Angelfish Forum

Pictures and articles are the property of the members of TWAF and should not be used unless permission is expressly given!

One of the benefits of my job as a net maker is that I get to visit quite a few fish farms in Florida. I’ve become friendly with Ray Quillen at Urban Tropicals and he was kind enough to allow me to take these pictures. Thanks Ray!

 

Urban is one of the newer farms as Ray basically rebuilt it from an existing old one.

 

Some of the farms in Florida have been in operation for over 50 years.

They breed assorted barbs, tetras, farowellas and ancistrus, but mostly angelfish. They will sell roughly half a million each year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am consistently impressed with the quality of his breeders. They are well fed and well maintained. Typically, they will breed for 2-3 years and then be sold off as egg production drops. They will record the date and condition of each spawn.

 

 

 

The fry will be raised in vats until they spike at 2-4 weeks and then be moved to a pond.

 

Each pond will hold 10 – 15,000 angels depending on how big they are to grow before selling them.  A “medium” size pond will have less fish in it than one where fish are to be sold as “regulars” or nickels.

 

The pond water is typical Florida well water and very hard. The fish are fed 2-3 times a day and get to browse on anything that grows in the pond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the fish have reached size, the pond will be drained and the fish netted to be culled and sorted. The pond is then pumped back down to either its clay or sand bottom (depending on the farm’s soil) and refilled for the next batch.

 

The ponds will be covered during the winter months and because of their size, will remain at a fairly constant temperature.  All in all it is a very impressive operation.

 

Ralph