Courtesy of greatlakesweb

The fish ponds at J and J Aquafarms are a polyculture of organisms that utilize all levels of the aquatic food chain. It starts with algae which we seed and fertilize at the beginning of every pond cycle. Insects, mollusks, and crustaceans thrive on the rich green soup. Small forage fish eat the insects and snails. Large fish such as bass and catfish consume small fish and crustaceans. In the background, planktonic algae feed on the waste products of the other animals. The only input necessary after the initial seeding is sunlight.  On our production ponds, we supplement with fish food to maximize growth.

Above the water, the ponds sustain another ecosystem. Bullfrogs eat prodigious amounts of insects. Herons and egrets spend their days wading the banks in pursuit of frogs, fish and snails. Water fowl use our ponds as a popular stopover on their migration routes. Raptors are attracted to the rich hunting ground adjacent the ponds.

Tags: aquaculture, fish, fish farm, Fresno California, J and J Aquaculture, polyculture