Amphibian culture by insect feeding

Abstract

Abstract In the culture of confined aquatic animals such as fish, tadpoles and frogs, the cage or other confining structure is used both to restrain the animal being cultures, and also to trap wild aquatic animals (e.g. fish) for the animals being cultured to eat. Thus, a simple, low-cost automatic means is provided for supplementing the diet of insects, commercial food pellets, etc. which also is fed to the animals being cultured. The cage walls have a mesh size small enough to keep out all but the small aquatic animals. At least one fish-trap entrance structure is built into the walls of the cage. The entrance opening of the fish-trap structure is of a size such that only forage fish significantly smaller than the animals being cultured in the cage can enter, and the cultured animals cannot escape. The fish-trap structure substantially prevents escape of the forage fish until they have been eaten. Wild aquatic animals too large for use as forage are kept out of the cage so that they do not compete with the cultured animals for space and oxygen, and do not waste food. An expandable cage is provided with removable partitions. Forage animals are trapped and/or raised in some of the compartments. The partitions are removed as the cultured animals grow, thus expanding the living space and exposing the forage animals to be eaten by the cultured animals. Pond culture using net barriers and trap entrances to perform the feeding method also are described. Alternatively, separate cages with removable end partitions can be attached together to increase the living space for the animals. The culture of frogs or fish by feeding insects into an enclosure such as a covered tank on land also is described. Insect traps disclosed include one using air downdrafts and linear blacklight bulbs. Another uses a translucent screen, a blacklight, and a funnel-shaped hopper to catch insects falling off the screen.

Inventors

• 👤 Gregor N. Neff

Bibliographic Details