How are catfish farmed?

Catfish farming begins with the selection and mating of mature fish. The females can lay 3,000 to 4,000 eggs each year per pound of body weight.  When the eggs are fertilized, they are taken to hatcheries that are very similar to their natural environment.  They hatch after seven days, and are then called sac fry because of the yolk sac they carry which provides their food. 

Once they begin to swim, they are moved to ponds where they grow into fingerlings, which are about 4-6 inches long.  They are then placed into manmade ponds that are filled with fresh water supplied from underground wells. Each manmade pond is lined with the rich clay soil of the region. Any “muddy” or off-flavors in catfish are caused by the phytoplankton in the water, and farm managers use their expertise to harvest fish when they will taste best. The fish stay in ponds until they reach at least one pound and are then harvested. 

This whole process takes anywhere from eighteen months to two years.