Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Aquaculture farmers, fish industry, researchers, and students. Changes/Problems:Project Director of this project retired April 30th of 2015. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Five undergraduate students were trained. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Young of the year Black, White, hybrid Black (male) x White (female) and hybrid White (female) x Black (female) Crappie averaging between 2-5 g were stocked 10 fish per gallon in tanks of a recycle aquaculture system (RAS). Fish were started on equal amounts of krill meal and Otohime larval feed. As training progressed to a salmon starter meal was substituted for the Otohime and the krill meal. Survival of fingerlings was near 90%. Fingerlings were maintained on the salmon meal until they were large enough to transition to larger feed sizes. Growth was then evaluated in a 24-tank RAS from November 10, 2014 to May 15, 2014. Similar numbers of each crappie type were stocked in each. Feed was applied to excess with automated belt feeders. Adjustments to limit overfeeding where made at the end of each day where with consumption below the amount provided, the amount was reduced, those that indicated that all was consumed and exhibited active feeding behavior, those tanks were increased. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were determined and recorded daily other water quality determinations, pH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates were determined weekly. Ammonia or nitrites did not reach critical levels anytime during the growth test. The summary of growth data (Table 1) for the 165 day feeding period indicates the following. Initial size did not differ based on type of crappie although at trials end they tended to differ with respect to mean final weight, mean gain and specific growth rate (SGR). White Crappie and hybrid White (female) x Black (male) Crappie tended to grow faster than Black Crappie although White Crappie appeared to be more sensitive to handling as that preceded infections with Columnaris. Some effects of Columnaris infection was mitigated by Chlormine-T treatments. The hybrid White (female) X Black (male) which grew well did not exhibit the same susceptibility and may be considered the best hybrid for commercial production. Table 1. A Summary of Growth Data for Crappie in as Recycle Aquaculture System. ` Means Beginning Standard Ending Standard Species Weight Deviation Weight Deviation Gain SGR Black 22.19 9.67 43.78 10 21.59 0.468645 White 22.38 8.02 58.6 29.2 36.22 0.663839 B X W 23.26 12.41 50.15 18.2 26.89 0.529851 W X B 21.36 10.7 60.5 32.3 39.14 0.718016 RAD/DNA sequencing of different populations of white and black crappie and whole genome sequencing for one crappie were completed using next generation sequencing technology by the Ohio State University. This will enable conducting genome assembly and data analysis to develop SNPs and identify genomic diversity of those species/strains for future crappie breeding programs.

Publications

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Aquaculture producers, clients interested in developing aquaculture enterprises and low resource farmers Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Informaiton has been reported to the Missouri Aquaculture Association and the 2014 North Central Aquaculture Planning Meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Efforts will be continued to improve brood crappie through selection utilizing genetic information and phenotypic selection trials.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Young of the year crappie were removed from ponds in late July and early August. All species and hybrids averaged between 2-5 g each. These fish were stocked in a recycle system at approximately 10 fish per gallon or 2.6 fish per liter. The fish were started on equal amounts of krill meal and Otohime larval feed. As training progressed a salmon starter meal was substituted for the Otohime and the krill meal. No live feed was presented and survival of fry was near 90%. Fry were maintained on the salmon meal until they were large enough to transition to larger feed sizes. Feed trained black, white, and w x b, b x w hybrids were tested for growth parameters in a 24 tank recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Feed trained crappie were stocked into the system and conditioned to the system. The test was initiated 10 November 2014 and terminated 15 May 2014. During the test similar numbers of each white black, w x b, and b x w crappie were stocked in each tank. Feeders (baby belt type) were filled each morning and the feed amount was adjusted by determining the amount of wasted feed remaining in the tank. At the end of the feeding period those tanks that indicated that consumption was below the amount provided, the amount was reduced, those that indicated that all was consumed and exhibited active feeding behavior, those tanks were increased. The table 1, shows a summary of the growth data for the 165 day feeding period. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were determined and recorded daily other water quality determinations, pH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates were determined weekly. Ammonia or nitrites did not reach critical levels anytime during the growth test. Table 1. A Summary of Growth Data for Crappie in a Recycle System. ` Means Beginning Standard Ending Standard Species Weight Deviation Weight Deviation Gain SGR Black 22.19 9.67 43.78 10 21.59 0.468645 White 22.38 8.02 58.6 29.2 36.22 0.663839 B X W 23.26 12.41 50.15 18.2 26.89 0.529851 W X B 21.36 10.7 60.5 32.3 39.14 0.718016 The beginning size of each species was not significantly different from each other. At the end of the test period different species definitely fit into three distinct sets of means. Blacks were significantly different from Blacks X W, Whites and Whites X Blacks were different from both Blacks and Blacks X Whites. Although white crappie preformed the better than blacks they are very sensitive to handling stress and extremely susceptible to bacteria causing Columnaris. Any handling will result in infestations although they may be controlled to some degree with Chlormine T treatments. The White X Black hybrid did not exhibit the same susceptibility and may be considered the best hybrid for commercial production. Established acceptable densities for culture. Feed training regime was established for this species. Methods were developed to keep crappie on feed during Phase II of the culture period. Water quality parameters were determined to be similar to parameters established for other sunfish. White crappie are very susceptable to Columnaris sp. and trials with the newly approved treatment with Chloramine T have proved to be an effective control. Minimal handling of fry and fingerling is necessary for survival. We determined that all fish must be handled in water at all times. White crappie are more suseptable to handling stress.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Culturing Crappies in Indoor Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. Gregory A. Dudenhoeffer , Charles E. Hicks , Russell Gerlach , Yongfang Zhang , Thomas R. Omara-Alwala North American Journal of Aquaculture Vol. 76, Iss. 4, 2014

Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Target Audiences, Include aquaculture stakeholders in Missouri as well as the other states in the North Central Region of the US. These audiences were accessed through the Missouri Aquaculture Association Winter Meeting-2013, the North Central Regional Planning meeting in February 2013 and the Minority and Limited Resource farmers workshop held at Lincoln University during the Spring of 2013 Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Initial steps in training aquacultue stakeholders at the Missouri Aquaculture Association Meeting during January, 2013 in the culture of crappies for food production were accomplished. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated to aquaculture stakeholders in Missouri and to Low Resource Farmers in Missouri. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? F1 brood fish will be selected and progney will be performance tested utilizing phenotypic and genetic characteristics important to commercial production. Genetic analysis of brood fish and progney will be accomplished by a cooperative agreement with the Auburn Fish Genetics Laboratory, Auburn University. Progney will be performance tested in a 24-tank RAS indoor system and in pond culture. Black and White and the hybrids of both crosses will be tested along with the pure blacks and whites.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Juvenile black and white crappies were harvested from pond spawned fish during July and August during the summer of 2013. These fish averaged 3 grams each. They were mass weighed and brought inside for feed training. Feed training consisted of confining young crappie at high densities. Brine shrimp nauplii, Artemia spp. (BS) were frequently fed to the fish until the fish responded to feeding. Krill meal and a starter feed were introduced to the young fish often mixed with BS until fish were observed feeding on the krill or starter feed. Krill and BS were eventually phased out of the mix. Some fish were trained without BS utilizing multiple feedings of krill meal initially and gradually introduced to commercial larval feeds after observed active feeding crappies of the same species with a mean weight of approximately 4 g were stocked into 795 L tanks at a rate of 200 fish per tank. Mass weights were obtained initially and monthly thereafter until study termination at 140 days. Commercial feeds were Silver Cup 2.0 slow sinking extruded steelhead with a reported minimum of 45% protein, 15% lipid and a maximum 3% fiber; and Purina Aqua Max 200 with a reported minimum 50% protein, 16% lipid and a maximum 3% fiber. The two feeds, indentified as feed type 1 and 2 were fed to four replicates of each species with 12 hour belt feeders armed in the morning. Initial feed amounts were fed at approximately 3% body weight daily. Feed amounts were increased weekly by calculating expected gain based on an estimated conversion of 1 unit of gain to 1.75 units of feed. Feed amounts were recorded. Monthly mass weights from each tank were used to adjust feed amounts to reflect the actual weight of the fish in each tank. Weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) (wet basis), and specific growth rate (SGR) were calculated. Significant performance differences occurred between fish fed different feeds, but not between the species. Survival rate however, was not different between fish receiving different feeds or species. Fish fed type 2 feed outperformed fish fed type 1 feed in final biomass, percent gain and SGR. Feed conversion ratios on an as fed basis were 1.99, and 1.82, for black crappie fed type 1 and type 2 feed and 1.88, and 1.60 for white crappie fed type 1 and type 2 feed, respectively. The only significant difference in FCR was between black crappie fed type 1 feed and white crappie fed type 2 feed. During the first week of April black and white crappie from the indoor RAS study were stocked in six (6) ( 3 replicates of each species) in 0.4 hectare ponds. Approximately 400 fish of each species were stocked in each pond. White crappie averaged 26 grams and blacks averaged 29 grams. Fish were fed twice daily at 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM a slow sinking feed 45% Protein 15% Fat feed for the duration of the summer. All ponds were harvested 11/09/2013. All fish were individually weighed and measured. Three hundred males and females of each species were selected by size and body confirmation. These fish were moved inside and represent the founder population which will be used for the selection study. Although there were not significant differences in the harvest size between the two species (Pr < 0.05) the white crappies average 164 grams and the blacks 137 grams. Developing rapid methods of disease identification in crappie continues and we have obtained the use of a Generation III BioLog has been arranged for determination of rapid fish pathogenic bacteria identification. Using both PCR and the BioLog, known and unknown bacteria are being analyzed and compared.

Publications

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: An alternative feed training method, using a mobile nursery system (MNS), evaluated the process of crappie. This system eliminates the complex and labor intensive process of feed training larvae by culturing zooplankton and brine shrimp. This nursery system filters the highly concentrated pond zooplankton into the MNS which concentrates it providing the right sized feed for the larvae. The MNS consists of two 45 gal (170 l) conical tanks, a parabolic water filter with a 200 micron mesh screen and a pump providing a continuous supply water. The crappie larvae are stocked into the MNS and fed automatically. The unit is relocated as needed with a tractor. Four 0.1 ha (0.25 ac) ponds were prepared by fertilizing with nitrates and phosphate early March 2012 and stocked with White and black crappie brood stock in April 2012. Young of the year were harvested August 2012 and transferred into 24 - 20 gal ( 75.7 l) indoor recirculating tanks. Fish were minimally handled by concentrating them with a seine and scooping directly into 5 gallon buckets then submerged into the recirculating system. Water quality was monitored daily for temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen. Prepared Krill meal was fed 10 times daily, minimally, until active feeding. Two weeks later Otohime was introduced at 25% replacement. Sept 2012 approximately 5,000 young of the year black and white crappie were harvested and feed trained in a indoor recirculating system. Fish will be fed a standard trout diet. Water quality will be monitored continually for temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen. Weekly parameters will include ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and fish health. During the Aug 2012 harvest young of the year crappie, 500 each of blacks and whites, were stocked into the MNS. These fish were also offered krill meal after one week in the MNS. Fish immediately accepted the krill meal and were subsequently converted to Otohime larval feed. After one month fish were moved to the Carver Aquaculture indoor facility and feed training was continued until the fish readily accepted standard trout feed. The 2012 crappie harvest fell under the quantity needed for the water quality, density and stressor experiments; these objectives will be addressed in 2013. A LU Aquaculture Biosecurity Policy has been adopted to evaluate disease prevention and disease issues culturing crappie. The crappie are monitored weekly for health evaluations. New technologies using PCR methodology is being developed. A PCR clean room was established. As bacteria and parasites are confirmed those samples will be analyzed to establish standardized genetic patterns for each. PCR is being used to investigate various pathogens and to determine if PCR is viable for rapid disease identification. The goal is to evaluate rapid disease identification methods. Marketability was evaluated using a survey of Missouri farmers markets. Response rate was 11%. Fifty seven per cent (57%) are interested in selling fish and want fish farmers contact them to. Additional survey methods will be conducted in 2013 to reach out to restaurants, food processors, churches and other markets. PARTICIPANTS: Chuck Hicks Cindy Borgwordt Russell Gerlach Cindy Borgwordt attended the American Fisheries Society Fish Health Section PCR Workshop. TARGET AUDIENCES: The production and feed training studies target fish farmers and low resource farmers. The survey targeted Missouri farmers market coordinators. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
The MNS demonstrated successful feed training eliminating the expensive and labor intensive feed training typically required. This applied process is a new technology that can be readily adopted by fish farmers greatly improving their capabilities for new and alternative species and increased potential profitability. The system is inexpensive to construct and can be easily relocated. Crappie are very sensitive to handling often resulting in high mortalities. The handling techniques resulted in extremely high survival contributing to profitability for the fish farmer. Our feed training results show two improvements to rearing crappie: utilizing naturally occurring zooplankton and using a graduating sequence of krill, Otohime and trout feed saveing time and costs. Providing fish farmers with the contacts for farmers markets interested in selling fish is a new opportunity to culture and sell crappie as a food fish. Ensuring a viable market is essential for farmers to adopt a new product.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: One year plus old black and white crappie were purchased from a commercial fish producer and transported to Lincoln University's Aquaculture facility at the George Washington Carver Farm. Ten fish of each sex of both species were placed in prepared ponds in mid-March for natural spawning. Ponds were checked weekly for zooplankton numbers. Dissolved oxygen was checked daily and total ammonia-nitrogen, pH, and alkalinity were measured weekly. All four of the ponds were subsampled in late May and June; no fish were obtained. The ponds were drained in July and no advanced crappie were collected. Ponds were not feed prepared diets because of no apparent survival. The adults were collected and brought into the indoor RAS and were feed trained with a high protein diet laced with krill meal. Fish are currently in excellent condition and will be ready to spawn successfully next spring 2012. Work on objective 2-To develop rapid disease identification technologies for crappie in culture systems and the adoption of effective treatments and bio-security standards to maintain disease free stock has been started with the construction of a quarantine facility to research disease, stressors and to evaluate effective bio-security measures. PCR training for the Fish Health Specialist has been completed to facilitate rapid disease identification. Because no YOY (young of the year) crappie were produced trial disease identification methods are being tested on the YOY bluegill sunfish to perfect the methodology. The marketing survey is being designed to conduct a front line survey for potential and existing fish farmers, restaurants, farmers markets, fish haulers and food processors. During the spring of 2012 black and white crappie brood fish will be placed in ponds for natural spawning. In addition adult black and white brood fish will be spawned in the laboratory to improve our chances of producing a successful year class. Currently a mobile pond-side larval fish feeding system is being developed and constructed. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
No reported outcomes for this annual report

Publications

• No publications reported this period