Buffalo or, to put it scientifically, Icthyobuses ( lat. Ictiobus) is a unique group of fish of the Chukuchanov family from the point of view of geography and lifestyle. In the natural conditions of our southern reservoirs, this fish took root relatively recently, 15-20 years ago, after unsuccessful attempts at industrial breeding in more northern conditions. It turned out that this pet is not so simple and demanding of food and water quality. The original homeland of the buffalo is the basins of large rivers North America, where some species of fish of this family can reach a weight of 50-70 kg.

Nevertheless, two or three subspecies of ictyobus have taken root in the reservoirs of southern Russia and even seriously compete with golden and silver crucian carp, sometimes completely displacing them from the water area.

The average size of an adult buffalo on Akhtuba is approximately 30-35 cm, but specimens up to 6 kg have been caught. Moreover, in its ancestral homeland, in the Mississippi basin, the Largemouth Buffalo can reach a weight of more than 30 kg with a length of 1.2 m.

The color of the rather large scales of this fish is smoky, olive-brown. The fin feathers are dark, and the dorsal fin is very long and starts from the middle of the back. Buffalo can be easily distinguished from a similar species - silver crucian carp - by its large, faded, easily detachable scales, and a more elongated body, which is less “humpbacked”. In addition, these fish are presumably easily modified by crossing with other species of cyprinids, primarily carp. Only this can explain the variety of forms of buffalo in our reservoirs, since there are individuals that have a sawtooth, jagged first ray of the dorsal fin, like a carp.

The lifestyle and type of diet of the “newcomer” from America is similar to that of the silver carp, but the diet is closer to carp. Buffalo prefers, unlike silver carp, zooplankton, small crustaceans and mollusks.

Buffalo spawn on Akhtuba from April (at water temperatures above 15 C) to the end of summer, laying eggs on plant leaves and stems aquatic plants. The hatched juveniles feed on small crustaceans, and as they grow up they switch to larger food such as insect larvae.

Spends the winter in pits with silted bottoms, but does not feed.

Buffalo habitats on Akhtuba

On Akhtuba, the buffalo lives in the same places as crucian carp and carp. A similar diet leads to a similar lifestyle with these fish. Like crucian carp, buffalo does not like strong currents and cold water. It often lives in backwaters and ilmens, inhabiting eriks and wide quiet channels of Rassvet Island in Three Rivers. Depending on the season, it is active almost around the clock, but catching it better in the morning and in the evening.

You should not look for buffalo in areas with a rocky bottom, on rifts and in rapids - it is more likely to be found in areas where crucian carp constantly live. It’s not bad if the selected area with a depth of 2-5 meters is adjacent to extensive shallow water overgrown with aquatic vegetation. In many closed reservoirs in the south of our country, the buffalo has completely replaced the golden crucian carp.

How and what to catch buffalo on Akhtuba

Taste qualities of buffalo

Buffalo is a commercial species of freshwater fish and is artificially bred in ponds. Its meat is dense, of medium fat content, practically without small bones, superior in taste qualities meat of crucian carp and crucian carp. The big advantage of buffalo in gastronomic terms is its easily detachable scales, unlike crucian carp, and great vitality, thanks to which it can be kept fresh for a long time and transported.

Thanks to this, buffalo can be prepared in almost any way. It is fried, baked, dried, smoked. It can be added to the soup or prepared as an excellent balyk.

Recipe for Buffalo baked with cheese and tomatoes

This fish recipe is “as simple as boots,” and even the most fastidious fans of fish dishes will appreciate the result.

The essence of the preparation: marinate pieces of buffalo in sauce, lightly brown in butter and bake with cheese.

To prepare the marinade, mix 1 tbsp. spoon lemon juice(both lime and dry sour wine will do) with the same amount soy sauce and 3-4 tablespoons of refined sunflower or olive oil. Clean small buffalo from scales, gut them, remove gills and make cuts on the thick part of the back. Rub with sauce and leave to marinate for 2-3 hours.

Next, lightly brown the carcasses in a hot frying pan on both sides (no more than 5-6 minutes)and place in a saucepan or on a baking sheet. Cover the top with a layer of thinly sliced ​​tomatoes (1-2 tomatoes) and a mixture of mayonnaise and grated cheese. If the fish is large, you can slightly open the belly with a wooden toothpick.

Bake in a hot oven (200 degrees) for 15 minutes until the cheese forms a golden brown crust. Ready!

More materials

Silver crucian carp is a fish from the carp family. Adult specimens can reach up to length about 40 centimeters and weigh 1-1.5 kilograms.

The eternal enemy of silver crucian carp is rotan. The latter actively displaces crucian carp from the reservoir. But, since silver crucian carp is very active and agile, it is not possible to completely exterminate it from rotan.

Large silver crucian carp can be found in the deepest places of a lake or river. It can swim to the shore after rains to feed closely.

At the same time, silver crucian carp accumulate in one place at the bottom. Depth non-freezing water column should be at least one meter.

The original habitat of silver crucian carp is Amur river. After which, in the middle of the 20th century, it was brought to European and Siberian reservoirs. This led to the fact that silver crucian carp gradually began to displace goldfish. In some places, common (golden) crucian carp is very rare.

Reproduction

The goldfish has a very interesting system reproduction. The fact is that many populations of these fish may consist only of females. Other fish species fertilize the eggs. In this case, fertilization does not actually occur; the development of the eggs themselves is only stimulated, from which, again, only females emerge.

The color of caviar is absolutely varied and can range from dark gray to light yellow. The larvae begin to feed on zooplankton. After they grow up, they begin to eat feed prepared according to various recipes.

Fishing methods

The spawning time of crucian carp is at the end of May. It becomes much easier to catch him. It should be remembered that this fish is quite shy. Crucian carp is afraid of both predators and humans.

To fish in a specific place, you need to find a fishing spot and do a test. If it is clear that the place is promising, then it will be enough to choose the time and methods of catching this fish. It is also worth knowing some habits of goldfish:

• its habitat is bushes and snags. He tries to live and feed there;
• It is not recommended to catch goldfish in winter;
• Crucian carp are best caught in the evening, when the heat subsides and they come out to look for food;
• After the rain, silver crucian carp prefers to sit out. It is best to wait until the water becomes clearer;
• if the water level is high, then the crucian carp feeds at the bottom and waits until it subsides.

Now you need to understand in more detail which nozzle is best to choose. There are a number of specific rules:

1. If you decide to go to small silver carp, then pieces of dung worm are best suited;
2. Before planting the worm, you need to squeeze the soil out of it and wet the tip. For silver crucian carp this will be the greatest delicacy.
3. If you want to catch more, then you will need several worms, which must squirm on the hook. Otherwise, silver crucian carp simply will not approach it. The exception is severe hunger in fish.
4. About the equipment. Do not forget that goldfish, especially adults, are very shy. Therefore, gear should be selected so that its color matches the characteristics of the reservoir. Thus, the gear itself should not stand out in any way against the background of all the natural elements near the reservoir.

3 ways to increase your catch of crucian carp and buffalo

There are many ways to increase your fish catch, but the most effective ones are. Below the site editors share with you the 3 most in effective ways increase in catch:

1. . This is a pheromone-based additive that activates receptors in fish. ATTENTION! Rybnadzor wants to ban this bait!
2. Any other baits with flavorings are less effective; it is better if they contain pheromones. But it’s most effective to use new 2016 — !
3. Studying different techniques catching For example, it is written about spinning wires.

What is the difference between crucian carp and buffalo?

Goldfish are constantly confused with buffalo. However it is not right, since the latter differs in appearance, size and appearance. Let's take a closer look at all the differences.

Firstly. The scales on the belly of goldfish are much more difficult to clean than to cut off. In a buffalo, the opposite happens - the scales are cleaned with
ease. In addition, during transportation he may partially lose it.
Secondly. The value of buffalo meat is much greater than that of goldfish or, for example, carp. This fish has much less bones in its muscle tissue. The weight of a buffalo sometimes exceeds 15 kilograms.

Third. Why do many anglers confuse buffalo and silver carp? The fact is that this is a kind of hybrid, which was bred on the basis of crucian carp in the USA in order to clear lakes and ponds of grass.

Unfortunately, full-fledged buffalo breeding has not occurred in Russia. There are two specific reasons for this:

1. this fish is very sensitive to various diseases.
2. The viability of buffalo is quite low, so this fish does not take root in wild reservoirs.

The buffalo was brought to Russia in 1971. They started breeding him in a nursery Hot key. Three years later it was distributed throughout the European part of Russia.

There are several types of buffalo. In Russia, only one of them is bred - largemouth buffalo. Its body is covered with scales and has a valval shape. A long fin can be seen on the back. The back is light brown, the sides are dull, and the fins are gray. The head is shaped more like a silver carp, and the body is similar to a silver carp, which is why they are confused.

Buffalo's reproductive characteristics are more reminiscent of carp than silver crucian carp. Reproduction begins when the water temperature reaches about 16 degrees. How more water heats up, the more intense the spawning. Considered optimal temperature 20 degrees, however, cases have been recorded when this fish spawned at +28 degrees.

How does spawning occur?

• First, a nest is formed, in which there are several males and one female. One male stays closer to her than the others.
• After which the female begins to make sudden movements.
• Buffalo males reach sexual maturity at three years, females a little later. The length of males is 35 centimeters, females are much larger.

Photo differences

Below you can see images of crucian carp and buffalo; the differences are clearly visible.

First you need to understand the difference between gold and silver crucian carp. The pictures below show this clearly.

1) 2)

Clicking on the image below will open it in a new window with higher resolution:

Now look at the photo of the buffalo below. Agree, there are differences. The main thing is to remember the face, because they are very similar in carcass.

1)

2)

3)

Conclusion and video

People often confuse goldfish with buffalo. This is not surprising, because they are very similar! From this article you learned about the features of two such different fish. If you apply this knowledge in practice, you will never confuse buffalo with silver carp.

Registration: 10/19/11 Messages: 1,098 Thanks: 1,116

Rotan, rotan firebrand, firebrand
The body is not very elongated, squamous in front, compressed behind. The pelvic fins are not connected into a disk. The head is large, flattened, its length is no more than 3 times the length of the body. The lower jaw protrudes forward. The head is covered with scales up to the middle of the forehead, the sides of the head are also covered with scales. The back is usually blackish-green, the sides are yellowish-green, and there are irregularly shaped dark brown spots on the sides. During the spawning period, males turn black and have a slight swelling on their forehead. Body length up to 25 cm, weight up to 300 g, but more often 8-12 cm.
Rotan is an introduced species and was introduced into our ichthyofauna from the Amur basin. In 1916, rotan was released into the reservoirs of St. Petersburg. Subsequently, it spread throughout Northern Eurasia, throughout most of Russia and many European countries. Currently, rotan is recorded in the basins of the Volga, Dnieper, Don, Dniester, Danube, Irtysh, Ural and Ob rivers.
In conditions middle zone prefers stagnant bodies of water, ponds and swamps. Very unpretentious to environmental conditions, especially to oxygen deficiency in water. Withstands almost complete drying and freezing of water bodies, burrowing into silt. It was noted that in a number of places, rotan forms large accumulations in cavities among the ice at the end of December, filled with air-ice wet mass. With transparent ice, this accumulation is easily visible from the surface: the cavity in the ice in which rotans overwinter has the form of a hemisphere with a diameter of 20 cm to 2 m, its upper point is located 30-60 cm from the upper edge of the ice. The temperature in it is close to 0-1 °C. The fish are in a state of stupor and, when taken out, move slightly. When placed in water, they quickly move away and begin to actively swim. However, in the Moscow region and in a number of other reservoirs of the European part of Russia, rotan does not hibernate at all. Fishermen catch it on Moscow ponds all year round. Rotan avoids bodies of water with fast and even moderate currents. Inhabits ponds, small, overgrown and swampy lakes, oxbow lakes. Leads a sedentary lifestyle, hunts like a typical ambush predator, hiding in dense thickets of underwater plants. It feeds on animal food (benthos and, less often, plankton) of any size available, including juvenile fish and eggs, and does not disdain carrion. Despite its small size, rotan is very voracious and almost omnivorous. Tadpoles are a favorite food at the beginning of summer. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 years upon reaching a length of about 6 cm. Fertility is up to 1000 eggs. Portion spawning occurs in May-July at a water temperature of 15-20°C. Lays eggs on bottom objects (plant rhizomes, driftwood, stones), on the lower surface of objects floating in the water and leaves of aquatic vegetation. The male guards the clutch and fry. The hatched larvae are 5.5 mm in size. The swim bladder is filled with air while the embryos are still in the shell, which prevents the larvae from sinking to the bottom, in unfavorable oxygen conditions. The larvae initially lead a pelagic lifestyle. They begin active feeding on the second day after hatching, consuming the smallest planktonic organisms, and then larger invertebrates.
In the European part of Russia, rotan is very dangerous pest fisheries. In addition, finding itself in a new body of water, rotan a short time sharply reduces the number of valuable fish species by eating their eggs and juveniles. This is explained by the absence of natural predators in our reservoirs, due to which the number of rotan here is increasing and its range is expanding.

Registration: 05/29/11 Messages: 11,659 Thanks: 4,288

So, I decided to come from afar...

Family Cyprinidae
Cyprinidae are the most species-rich family of the Cyprinidae suborder. Their mouth opening is bordered on top only by the premaxillary bones, which are movably connected to the maxillary bones. The mouth is retractable. There are no teeth on the jaws, but on the pharyngeal bones there are teeth arranged in one, two or three rows. On the lower surface of the skull (more precisely, on the process of the main occipital bone) there is a bone-horn-like cushion-like protrusion called a millstone, which, together with the pharyngeal teeth, serves to grind food. Either no antennae, or one or two pairs (the exception is the eight-whiskered gudgeon).

In unpaired fins, which are supported by soft rays branched at the end, the first few rays are unbranched (usually 2-4). The last unbranched ray (usually in the dorsal fin) can be thickened, turned into a spine, sometimes flexible at the end, sometimes serrated along the posterior edge. The swim bladder is usually large, consisting of two or even three chambers; the anterior part of the bladder is not enclosed in a bone capsule (with the exception of some genera of minnows living in the waters of the Amur and rivers of China). The scales of cyprinids are cycloid, but in some species there are no scales - the body is naked. The carp family includes more than 1,500 species belonging to 275 genera

Registration: 06/15/10 Messages: 2,308 Thanks: 1,299

xpp

Calicanzarid

Registration: 06/15/10 Messages: 2,308 Thanks: 1,299 Address: Izhevsk

Registration: 03.14.12 Messages: 246 Thanks: 510

Registration: 07/27/14 Messages: 143 Thanks: 62

It is known that the main fish in the reservoirs of rural regions is crucian carp. As a result of the early sexual maturation of crucian carp and its high fertility, carp ponds quickly become clogged, causing intense food competition with cultivated fish species. However, it is characterized as a species resistant to unfavorable growing conditions, especially low content oxygen in water (up to 0.5 ml/l), while carp die in such reservoirs. To introduce crucian carp into ichthyocomplexes, it becomes necessary to create a sterile (sterile) form of this species known method in fish farming - hybridization.

When a male crucian carp is crossed with a female naked carp, scaly and linear offspring appear. Linear carp hybrids are very similar to linear carp. Research has established that in favorable conditions, in comparison with carp cultivation, crucian carp in the second year of life can have a mass of 400-500 g; in the third - 880-1500 g. This hybrid is an interesting object for use in non-drainage reservoirs with mortality phenomena - for sports and farm fishing.

Caviar is obtained from six-year-old female carp, and milt is obtained from male crucian carp weighing more than 200 g using a pituitary injection. A double injection dose is used for male crucian carp, 1.5-2 mg/kg body weight. To fertilize 1 kg of carp caviar, use 5-7 ml of crucian carp milt. The fertilization rate of eggs is almost 100%. For incubation, deglued, fertilized eggs are loaded into a 50-liter Weiss apparatus. The friendly hatching of carp carp larvae occurs on the third day of incubation at an average water temperature of 21.5. The yield of larvae is 96%. Juvenile carp carp at the larval stage cannot be distinguished from carp larvae.

During control catches of nursery ponds, a clear division of hybrids into individuals with scales and those with few scales was observed. The appearance of scaly and small-scaled (linear) carp hybrids is the same as that of carp, but the absence of antennae is the first sign of carp. The growth rate of scaly carp is slightly higher than that of small-scaled carp.

Histological studies of the development of the reproductive system of carp carp confirmed their sterility.

Breeding carp hybrids, which have an attractive presentation, makes it possible to increase fish productivity to an additional 9 c/ha. Hybrids of carp crucian carp have economic prospects: their omnivorous nature and high resistance to death phenomena in water bodies guarantee stable fish productivity.

Registration: 01/18/15 Messages: 921 Thanks: 661

American Catfish, or Dwarf Catfish, or Brown Catfish (English Brown Bullhead) is a species of fish belonging to the genus Ameiurus of the Iktaluridae (Cat Catfish) family. The smallest of all 37 catfish species found in North America, for which it is also called the Dwarf Catfish. Due to its small size, it is very popular among aquarists. In addition, it is the subject of breeding in many fish farms throughout America. Gourmets call this fish one of the most delicious; its meat has an excellent taste. In addition to North America, at the beginning of the twentieth century, American Catfish was introduced to New Zealand and in Western Europe, where it spread very quickly in local reservoirs, and from there it penetrated into the river systems of Eastern Europe.

Description: The body of the American Catfish is slightly round in front, laterally compressed. The relatively large abdomen is located immediately after the large, flattened head. On the head there are very small eyes, a wide mouth, around which there are eight black splayed mustaches. The longer mustaches are located at the corners of the mouth, the shorter ones are located behind the nostrils, and the remaining two pairs of mustaches are on the chin. The jaws are identical in size and contain many small teeth.
The color of the American Catfish varies from Brown to black with all shades in between. The back is darker; sides light with spots; belly white or white-cream; the fins, like the back, are dark. A clear thick lateral line can be traced from head to tail. Just like other catfish, the American Catfish has an adipose fin, thick skin, a hairless body without scales, and many mucous glands. The tail is flattened with a small, non-forked “spade fin”.

Size: The size of the Dwarf Catfish, as its name suggests, is small. On average, the weight of a catfish is 200-300 grams; specimens weighing about 600 grams are often found. Average length The body length of the Dwarf Catfish ranges between 30 and 40 cm. In exceptional cases within its natural range it can reach a length of 50 cm and a weight of more than 3 kg.

Habitats: Brown Catfish prefers to live in rivers with a slow flow or in reservoirs with standing fresh (occasionally slightly brackish) water, with a lot of silt at the bottom, in which it often buries itself. Catfish like shallow places near the shore, heavily overgrown with aquatic vegetation. Brown Catfish is a very hardy and unpretentious fish. Can live in bodies of water where other fish cannot survive. Brown Catfish thrives in water with elevated temperatures and low oxygen levels. As a result, it thrives in the warm waters of power plant cooling ponds.

Lifestyle and habits: Brown Catfish, like other catfish, is an omnivorous predator and its highest activity is observed in dark time days. It navigates well in dark and very muddy water. Most of all, Dwarf Catfish do not like bright light, and they hide from it in shelters, which they find among snags, stones and various kinds remnants of vegetation. In winter, Catfish do not feed and, as soon as cold weather sets in, they move into holes and lie there, almost motionless. They leave their wintering grounds only after the water bodies are free of ice.
Sexual maturity in Brown Catfish occurs when they are 3-4 years old. Fish spawn in late spring - early summer, when the water mass heats up to 18-20 degrees in coastal zone. This area typically contains sand or rock, submerged trees, and all sorts of debris. flora, where the nest is built. The female lays eggs in the form of a loose lump; after fertilization of the eggs, the male remains at the nest to guard the eggs and the newly hatched fry. He also monitors the cleanliness of the nest: with the movements of his pectoral fins he drives away debris from the hole with eggs and creates an influx of oxygen. The average growth rate of Brown Catfish is quite low.

Nutrition: This fish is always hungry and is also undemanding to food and habitat. American Catfish feeds on larvae, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, eggs of other fish and small fish, as well as all kinds of algae and plants. This catfish, although dwarf, is a competitor for other fish and in some cases even an enemy, as it destroys a large number of their eggs and juveniles.

Sport fishing: Sport fishing for American Catfish is simple and unsophisticated. The best catfish fishing occurs in warm weather and summer time when the fish is especially active and voracious. Animal bait is usually used as bait: earthworm or maggot. The peculiarity of fishing for Dwarf Catfish is that the fish swallows the prey whole at once, without preliminary “pecking”, so you need to hook it immediately after a slight pull. Best time for fishing - evening and early night. In the evening in the summer, the Brown Catfish, like other catfish, begins to eat and grabs any bait that is on the bottom. It's best to fish on bottom fishing rod, you can also use a fishing rod with a float, but Catfish prefers bait that lies motionless on the bottom. American Catfish has very good hearing and perfectly hears all sounds coming from the surface of the water, so when catching it you should be quiet. By and large, catching American Catfish is not that exciting; it has little resistance, but for children and beginners, catching it will bring great joy.

Source


BUFFALO largemouth
(Ictiobus cyprinellus)


The body color is dark brown, the back is dark gray or olive-bronze, the sides are lighter, the belly is yellow or whitish, the fins are uniform, usually brownish-gray. Fish that live in turbid waters are often pale or yellowish, while those in clear waters are olive-blue.

A more heat-loving fish than carp. Is typical inhabitant large rivers, oxbow lakes, channel and floodplain lakes, swampy branches and other bodies of water.

It is well adapted to life in turbid waters, which opens up prospects for its widespread breeding in heavily silted ponds.

Under natural conditions, it prefers shallow (up to 5 meters deep) areas of reservoirs with slow flows or standing water. Throughout the summer, it leads a schooling lifestyle, but on hot days, schools disperse throughout the entire water area and the fish hide from direct sunlight in dense thickets of plants, sticking to the surface zone.

According to their reproductive characteristics, all three types of buffalo are close to carp. They are spring-growing fish with one-time spawning. Females of large-mouthed buffalo become sexually mature at 4-5 years with a body length of about 40-45 cm, males - somewhat earlier, with a body length of about 30-35 cm.

All types of buffalo grow quickly and are superior to carp in this regard. Under natural conditions, the largemouth buffalo reaches 10.4 cm by autumn, yearlings - up to 18 cm. Specimens 35-78 cm in length and from 0.9 to 19.5 kg in weight are common in catches. Maximum sizes are up to 120 cm in length and 36 kg, occasionally up to 45 kg in weight. In the conditions of Belarus, with quite high density planting in ponds, the maximum weight of fingerlings when grown in monoculture was 20.4 (average 14.9) g.

A high degree of adaptation to living conditions and omnivorousness make the buffalo promising object fish farming in the conditions of Belarus.

BUFFALO smallmouth
(Ictiobus bubalus)


The body color is lighter than that of the large-mouthed buffalo. In juveniles, the back is dark gray-bronze with a bluish tint, the sides are lighter with a golden tint, the belly is white, the fins are uniform, brownish-gray. As the size of the fish increases, some lightening of the color is observed.

It lives in significant quantities only in deep rivers with clean water and relatively fast current. It also prefers riverbeds during flood periods and does not go onto the flooded floodplain. Apparently, it enters small bodies of water by accident. Leads a gregarious lifestyle.

By the nature of reproduction it is close to the buffalo largemouth, however, apparently, due to its habitat in more cold water, sexual maturity occurs one year later than in the largemouth buffalo.

It grows quite quickly and is not inferior to our cultivated carp. Under natural conditions, it grows up to 10-13 cm in the first year. Specimens up to 37-70 cm in length and up to 9 kg in weight are common in catches. Maximum dimensions - up to 95 cm in length and 18 kg in weight. In the conditions of pond farms in Belarus, the maximum weight of fingerlings was 10.1 g (average 7.1 g).

Like buffalo, largemouth is very promising for growing in warm-water ponds and clean transparent lakes rich in zooplankton and benthos. Apparently, it is most promising for colonizing natural reservoirs, in which it can produce high fish productivity on a natural food supply.

BUFFALO black
(Ictiobus niger)


The body color is dark, normally dark gray or dark bronze, with a greenish tint on the back. The fins are uniform, dark gray. Only fish that constantly live in very turbid waters are somewhat lighter in color.

The habitats of the black buffalo often coincide with the habitats of the largemouth buffalo, but it prefers muddy waters with a heavily silted bottom, small silted ponds and swamps. Unlike the two previous species, it lives in the bottom layers and resembles a carp in its behavior.

Reproduction processes in natural reservoirs have not yet been sufficiently studied. Reproduction in pond farms is carried out, as with largemouth buffalo, in fish-breeding apparatus.

It can be a very valuable object for pond fish farming in small, heavily silted and swampy ponds and planters, as well as for stocking heavily eutrophicated lakes.

Fish Farming - Buffalo

Three species are acclimatized in our country: largemouth buffalo, or buffalo, smallmouth and black. Fish of the genus Ictyobus (buffalo) are widespread in North America - from southern Canada to Mexico. Buffalo are more thermophilic than carp, and therefore in natural reservoirs of the northern and mountainous regions they will not give the same fish-breeding effect as in well-warmed ones.
Buffalo are schooling fish, which makes them easy to catch in large bodies of water. In ponds together with carp and bighead carp, buffalo grow worse and are affected by lerneosis.
The largemouth buffalo, I.cyprinellus (Val.), grows faster than other fish of this genus. It has scales, no antennae, thick lips covered with villi, a large, upper mouth, and has the gill apparatus of a planktophager; prefers rivers and is not found in salty waters (Fig. 53, a). In the USA it is widely cultivated rice fields, where it reaches marketable weight in 1-2 years. Typically in reservoirs, largemouth buffalos reach a weight of 15 kg. Ripens in the 3rd year of life, the eggs are small, sticky, spawning from the first half of March to the end of summer at a water temperature of 14.4-16.7°C. Hatching at a temperature of 17°C occurs on the 9-10th day. Most often it lays eggs on plants. Juveniles feed on lower crustaceans; yearlings consume water beetles, ostracods, and, less commonly, phytoplankton. Older fish prefer zooplankton, and benthic animals prefer chironomid larvae and crustaceans. Compound feed is actively consumed in ponds.
Smallmouth buffalo - I.buoalis (Raf.) - is higher in nutritional value than largemouth, but grows much more slowly (Fig. 53, b). Reaches sexual maturity in the 3-4th year of life. The mouth is lower and the gill apparatus is not adapted to filtering plankton - the rakers are short and sparse. Young of the year quickly switch to feeding on zoobenthos. In fish weighing 60-70 g, it makes up more than 50% of the food; in two-year-old fish, more than 2/3 of the food bolus is represented by chironomid larvae and other bottom animals. It consumes buffalo and detritus; in ponds it is fed with carp feed.

Black buffalo - I.niger (Raf.) - benthophage, grows faster than smallmouth (Fig. 53, c). Ripens at 4-5 years of life. Like the carp, it concentrates in the pre-spawning period and in the fall, when the water temperature drops to 15-13°C, it stays in schools near the bottom. Actively consumes feed.
Buffalo is more thermophilic than carp. The most climatically favorable areas for growing its producers are the North Caucasus, southern Ukraine, Moldova, the republics of Transcaucasia and Central Asia.
Buffalo breeding material can be grown in ordinary carp ponds with a good bed layout, ensuring complete drainage, with an independent water supply. Growing fish of this species of different ages together is not recommended.
Repairs and breeders can be raised together with breeding material of herbivorous fish, but not with carp. If there is a lack of natural food in the ponds, the buffalo must be fed with compound feed [Erokhina et al., 1980].

The average buffalo production is no more than 2-3 c/ha. Planting of producers for summer maintenance - no more than 20-30 pieces/ha of each type of buffalo. The average increase over the summer period for largemouth and black buffalo breeders should be at least 1 kg, smallmouth - 0.7 kg. It should also be taken into account that females grow faster than males.
For artificial reproduction of buffalo, for every 10 females it is enough to have 6 males. As a result of injuries during the spawning campaign, up to 20% of producers die.
Wintering is carried out in ordinary carp wintering ponds. The density of planting of breeding fingerlings in wintering ponds is allowed up to 200-300 thousand/ha, two-year-olds - 200 c/ha, older breeding material - 150 c/ha, producers - no more than 200 pcs/ha. Sexually mature females and males of all species are placed in different ponds. When males and females are kept together, buffalos can spawn in winter quarters. Breeders are caught from the wintering area by water using a Hamsoros seine. Fish are taken from the net using hoses.
Females are usually divided into three groups:
1) the best, most prepared for spawning, the abdomen is soft to the touch, pendulous, such females are used first;
2) females with similar, but less pronounced characteristics;
3) by appearance almost indistinguishable from males - they are immediately planted for summer feeding.
Males by external signs divided into two groups:
1) with a rough surface of the head and body, such males easily give milk;
2) produce very little milk or do not produce milk at all; such males are practically unsuitable for work.
After sorting, up to 1000 pcs/ha of spawners are planted in ponds for pre-spawning maintenance (separately by sex and groups). For pre-spawning maintenance, producers use the same ponds as when working with herbivorous fish.
The production of offspring from buffalos begins with the onset of stable average daily temperature water not lower than 18-19°C, in the North Caucasus - in the second half of May.
Buffalo breeding can be carried out naturally in ordinary carp spawning ponds and by the factory method. The latter is advisable to use on the basis of complexes of herbivorous fish.
To obtain reproductive products from buffalo in injections, the pituitary glands of carp, carp, bream, crucian carp, common catfish, as well as human chorionic gonadotropin. When working with females, fractional (double) administration of gonadotropic hormone is used, the first time - within 1/8-1/10 of the total intended dose. After 12-34 hours, a permissive injection is made - 4-6 mg of pituitary substance per 1 kg of female weight. The dose of human chorionic gonadotropin is 2500 IU.
The producers are injected in such a way that the main fish-breeding processes are carried out during daylight hours. After injection, the breeders are placed in injection or spawning earthen ponds about 1 m deep. Draining and filling the pond takes 30 minutes. Constant water exchange is provided. Up to 20 buffalo breeders can be placed in such a pond with an area of ​​20-30 m2. Females and males are kept in separate ponds. Producers can be kept in container baths made of fiberglass, tarpaulin and other materials, providing a water exchange of 3-4 l/min. The oxygen content in water should not be lower than 5-6 mg/l.

The timing of maturation of female buffalos after a permissive injection varies depending on the water temperature:

Water temperature, °C	Maturation time for female buffalos, h
16-18	19-20
18-20	17-18
20-21	15-16
21-22	13-14
22-23	11-12.

It is important to accurately determine the time of maturation of females, since retention of eggs in the body cavity can lead to their overripeness (especially when high temperature).
To catch mature females, iodine is lowered in the spawning grounds. Females are caught using burlap or Rachelle sleeves. The sleeve is carefully pulled over the female from the side of the head, after which the tail peduncle is grabbed with the hand (with gauze) and the genital opening is pinched with the fingers to avoid loss of eggs.
The working fertility of young (not maturing for the first time) females of largemouth and black buffalo is 400 thousand, smallmouth - 200 thousand eggs. The survival rate from eggs to larvae is 40% for all species. The yield of fingerlings from nursery ponds is 30% (when stocked with ungrown larvae).
It is convenient to strain the caviar into measuring containers with a capacity of S 00-100 ml. Milk is obtained 30-60 minutes before straining the caviar. Storing milk in a thermos on ice for 10-12 hours does not reduce the fertilizing ability of sperm.
When inseminating eggs, the milk of 2-4 males is used. To inseminate 1 liter of caviar, 3-5 ml of milk is enough.
Caviar is placed in enamel basins (at least 500 ml of caviar). Insemination is carried out using the “dry” method. The eggs are mixed with milk, then a de-sticking solution is added, into which fertilization occurs.
You can destick buffalo caviar with a talc suspension, for the preparation of which you need to pour 100 g of talc powder and 20-25 g of table salt into 10 liters of pond water and mix thoroughly.
Milk should not be used to de-glue buffalo caviar. Swollen buffalo caviar has a lower specific weight than carp caviar. The fat particles that envelop the shells of the eggs make them even lighter, and they can be carried out of the incubation apparatus by a current of water.
Incubation of eggs and aging of larvae can be carried out in a workshop equipped with VNIIPRH and IVL-2 devices. The former are used for incubating eggs, the latter for incubating larvae. In this case, for every two incubation apparatus it is necessary to have one apparatus for keeping larvae. Up to 1.5 million buffalo eggs are placed in a VNIIPRH apparatus with a capacity of 100-200 liters. Before loading, the apparatus is set to low flow, then approximately 1/2 of the volume of water is taken from it, after which the caviar is carefully poured from the basin, protecting it from shocks and impacts. After laying the eggs, a water exchange regime is established so that the entire mass of eggs is in constant motion. When incubating eggs in VNIIPRH apparatus with a capacity of 200 liters, the intensity of water exchange is 10-12 l/min. In the first hours, it is advisable to periodically mix the caviar in the apparatus with a bunch of feathers attached to a wooden stick, doing this with smooth, soft movements.
At good quality caviar selection of dead eggs from the apparatus is not carried out, and if it is bad, it is carried out after the completion of the gastrulation process. The amount of dead eggs (if their quality is poor - significant) must be taken into account, which is necessary to calculate the yield of larvae.
A day after the eggs are laid for incubation, they are treated with malachite green to suppress the development of saprolegnia. To do this, the water supply to the devices is stopped and after the eggs settle, 1/2 of the volume of water is scooped out of them. Then a solution of malachite green is added at the rate of 10 ml of a 0.05% dye solution per 1 liter of the contents of the apparatus, all this is thoroughly mixed and after 15-20 minutes the water supply is started.
Duration embryonic development depends on the temperature of the water entering the devices (Table 111). Optimal temperature lies between 20 and 25°C. This applies to all types of buffalo.
After hatching, free buffalo embryos rise like candles to the upper layers of water. Deformed embryos are usually inactive and remain in the lower part of the apparatus.
Embryos are transported through chutes or hoses into ventilators-2. The larvae are kept in apparatus or cages until they switch to mixed nutrition. This stage coincides with the filling of the swim bladder with air. At a water temperature of 20-22°C this occurs on the 3rd day after hatching. The survival rate - from fertilized eggs to larvae that have switched to mixed nutrition - should be no lower than 40%.

Table 111. Dependence of the duration of embryonic development of a buffalo on water temperature

Average temperature of water, °C (possible fluctuations are indicated in parentheses)	Duration of embryonic development, hours	Amount of heat deg.-h.
19 (17,3-21)		1900
21 (17,3-24,8)		1827
22(21-23)		1804
25 (24-25,5)		1625

Raising larvae in fry ponds to viable stages can significantly reduce their death during further rearing. The normal planting density of buffalo larvae in fry ponds is no more than 3-4 million pcs/ha, yield is 70%. It is convenient to raise larvae of each species in separate ponds, since it is impossible to sort by species during fishing. The larvae are raised to a weight of 15-20 mg, when they switch to consuming zooplankton. Under favorable conditions, this occurs on the 10-14th day. Larvae that have switched to mixed nutrition can be planted in fry and nursery ponds or sent for further cultivation to other farms.
Buffalo larvae are transported in the same way as larvae of herbivorous fish. in 40-liter plastic bags filled 1/3 with water and 2/3 with oxygen. It is recommended to place 100 thousand larvae in such a package for transportation lasting up to 5 hours, and half as much for longer transportation.
When transporting grown larvae to plastic bag place from 5 to 25 thousand depending on the duration of transportation, water temperature and size of the larvae. Waste during transportation should not exceed 3-5%.
In fish ponds Krasnodar region The height of different buffalo species varies (Table 112).

Table 112. Weight growth of largemouth, black and smallmouth buffalo, kg

Buffalo view	Age of fish, years
Largemouth	0,2-0,5	0,8-1,5	2-2,5
Black	0,21	0,7-1,2	2,2-3	2,8-5,3
Smallmouth	0,19	0,7-1,2		1,7-2,6

Individual specimens of largemouth buffalo at the age of 7+ reached a weight of more than 10, black - 14, smallmouth - 8 kg. Moreover, the average weight of males is less than that of females.
Largemouth buffalos stay in a school in the water column, smallmouths are also easily caught, so these fish can be successfully used for introduction into non-drainage reservoirs for complex purposes, in particular into cooling ponds of energy facilities.

Fish Farmer's Handbook. IN AND. Kozlov

In the 70s of the last century, the new kind large fish. Buffalo - a fish belonging to the Chukuchanov family, prefers to live in ponds and lakes with warm water. Its individuals quickly increase in size, reaching a decent size. Outwardly, they resemble carp, silver carp or silver carp.

Kinds

There are three common species of this fish in nature, which also have another name - ictibus. The reservoirs are inhabited by largemouth, smallmouth and black buffalo. All three representatives live in Russian rivers, ponds and lakes. However, the most popular among fishermen is the largemouth buffalo. The fish of this species differs from its counterparts in its impressive size.

Area

The homeland of this population is the reservoirs of North America, located between southern Canada and Mexico. It is widespread in the area North Caucasus, Central Asia, found in water bodies of Transcaucasia, Ukraine and Moldova.

In 1971, fish were brought to Krasnodar region. Now the population is widespread in many Russian regions. It is inhabited by the Volga, Akhtuba and other rivers with suitable water temperatures. Where is buffalo fish found? It is found in many reservoirs of the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories. It is bred in reservoirs and lakes of the Urals.

Ictibus are heat-loving; reservoirs in which the water warms up well are suitable for their habitat. In cold ponds and lakes the population practically does not occur. Individuals feel great in muddy waters. In ponds and lakes where bighead carp and carp live, buffalo fish are uncomfortable. She is often affected by lerneosis.

Description

The buffalo fish has a relatively tall body covered with scales. The description emphasizes that the body has a valval shape. The outline of a buffalo resembles that of a goldfish. The back is decorated with a long fin. Its first rays are higher than the subsequent ones. The head of individuals is moderately long. Its shape is similar to the heads of silver carp.

The backs are painted in dull brown shades, the fins are gray colors, and the sides - in bright hues. Buffalo river fish is close in color to carp. A photo of these fish species allows you to verify the similarity of their coloring.

smallmouth buffalo

The tallest the nutritional value This variety has buffalo. The fish grows much slower than its largemouth counterpart. She reaches sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age. The gill apparatus, due to the short and sparse rakers of the smallmouth ictibus, is not capable of filtering plankton. His mouth is lower.

Zoobenthos is the food of young of the year. In individuals weighing 60-70 grams, it makes up half of the diet. The food of two-year-olds consists of 2/3 chironomid larvae and other bottom inhabitants. Buffalo fish happily consume detritus, photos of which are presented in many sources and in our article. She also does not refuse carp feed.

Black buffalo

Individuals of this variety mature in the 4-5th year of life. They, like carp, concentrate in the pre-spawning season and in the autumn months, when the water temperature drops to 13-15 ˚C. Fish, huddled in schools, stay near the bottom. They actively feed on mixed feed.

Large Mouth Buffalo

Largemouth buffalos grow faster than other species. They have the gill apparatus of a planktivore. They have no antennae. Buffalo fish are completely covered with scales. The photo allows you to see large scales on her body. The mouth of individuals is upper and quite large. The surface of the thick lips is covered with villi.

This variety of ictibus prefers rivers and ponds. You won't find it in salty bodies of water. In the USA, the population is grown in ponds located among rice fields. Individuals reach marketable weight in 1-2 years. Average weight fish - 15 kilograms. Sometimes there are specimens weighing 35-45 kilograms.

The population begins to spawn in March and ends at the end of summer, when the water cools to 14-16 ˚C. Females lay small sticky eggs, laying them on plants.

The diet of juveniles consists of lower crustaceans. One-year-old fish feed on water beetles, ostracods and occasionally phytoplankton. Adults prefer zooplankton and eat crustacean larvae. In artificial reservoirs they actively feed on mixed feed.

Features of life

Buffaloes prefer to live in the water column. The fish, huddled together in a school, go to quiet, calm places in the reservoirs. She has adapted well to life in ponds and lakes. The main factor for good growth of individuals is warm water.

IN natural environment For food, fish choose mainly zooplankton. In artificial reservoirs, it happily eats feed produced for carp.

The subtleties of fishing for buffalo

Buffalo is caught in almost the same way as crucian carp. Fish are usually caught from the bottom. The best bite happens during summer fishing with the onset of dawn or evening sunset. For fishing they use donks, fishing rods and feeders.

For winter fishing a simple fishing rod designed for this season will do. A jig is suitable as bait. To fish with it, the method of vertical trolling is used.

For a successful catch, the fish should be fed. For each season they use their own bait designed for crucian carp. In addition, universal feed is used. Effective biting is achieved by using ready-made flavored baits.

Sometimes baits are scented independently at home. They are enriched with hemp and caraway seeds. A variety of oils and cakes are used for this purpose. Fish love baits with the aroma of anise, coriander and garlic. Suitable baits for fishing these fish include worms and maggots, corn and bloodworms, bread crumbs and pieces of dough, cereals (pearl barley, semolina or rolled oatmeal) and, of course, boilies.