A new study from Minh An Fish Hatchery in Vinh Long Province has introduced technical measures for transforming the flesh of catfish from yellow to white.
Typically, to produce white catfish flesh, farmers must frequently change the water. However, this method yields inconsistent results across different households, and excessive water changes can lead to fish diseases and deaths. Two main factors contribute to the yellow color of catfish flesh: dirty pond water and fish consuming spoiled feed. Through experiments using bottom aeration combined with controlled water changes, the percentage of white flesh has reached 75%.
Accordingly, when the biomass of fish in the pond reaches 2 kg/m3, aeration should be conducted for approximately 12 hours per day; once the biomass reaches 6 kg/m3, aeration should be continuous for 24 hours a day. It is reported that the cost of raising catfish for white flesh using bottom aeration is approximately 7,053 VND/kg, which is about 200 VND/kg lower than the cost of raising them through water changes.
