Each Asiatic Softshell Turtle (Amyda cartilaginea) that is only bigger than a bottle cap costs over 300,000 VND(13$), thanks to raising high-value animals and eating less, Mr. Bay has a good income and is getting better and better.

Mr. Bay Hoi (real name Ly Hong Hoi, 72 years old, living in Hoa Loi hamlet, Thanh My commune, Thap Muoi, Dong Thap) was once known as one of the first people to breed elephants in the West. , becoming a famous breeder supplier in the region.

12 years ago, when he was “making a profit”, all of a sudden, Mr. Bay gave up raising snakes and switched to breeding crabs.

The strange Amyda cartilaginea species only lays 40 eggs a year, making a profit of over 10 million dong

Mr. Bay shared: “It’s okay to raise snakes, but I saw too many people raising them, so I changed direction. Amyda cartilaginea is more willing to eat, so many people raise it, it’s easy for me to sell seed. From a few snakes, I switch to raising nail crabs, it only costs money for seed.”

Over the past 12 years, Mr. Bay’s hatchery has always maintained 100 parent Amyda cartilaginea, the ratio of 3 females and 1 male. In order to have the best quality fingerling Amyda cartilaginea, Mr. Bay regularly replaces spawning crabs but still ensures that there are always over 40 female Amyda cartilaginea laying eggs.

Although the herd of Amyda cartilaginea is quite large, Mr. Bay said that the food costs are very little. “I raise the semi-natural way, feed fry, golden snail so that the parents have the best resistance, keep the wild quality. Raising it is both inexpensive, and the Amyda cartilaginea lay quality eggs.” Mr. Bay revealed.

Mr. Bay said that nail Amyda cartilaginea reproduce continuously from the beginning of the year to July, each season gives birth to 40 eggs, the hatching rate of healthy offspring is about 3/4. When in season, female nail Amyda cartilaginea will go to the prepared sand, dig a cave about half a meter deep, lay eggs and then backfill.

“I dig through the sand once a month to find eggs. The eggs only need to be left in the moist sand for about 3 months and they will hatch by themselves. Ten-day-old nail Amyda cartilaginea cost 300,000 VND (13$). The longer you keep them, the more expensive they will be, but every time there is a stock, they’ll be fine. people come to buy all year round,” said the farmer.

Bay’s farm is divided into 6 tanks, each tank is about 30m2. The fingernail Amyda cartilaginea are reared under special conditions, in tiled tanks. The 2-year-old baby Amyda cartilaginea, weighing about 2kg, and ready to spawn are also kept in separate tanks. There are perennial Amyda cartilaginea, weighing from 5 to 10 kg, Mr. Bay is like a “treasure” because every year he earns over tens of millions of dong.

In the countryside where there is no concrete road, cars have to stop far, kilometers away, life for most people is still difficult. But thanks to raising Amyda cartilaginea, Mr. Bay has money to send his children to Ho Chi Minh City to settle down. Mr. Bay also has money to build a spacious house, grow orchids and make large aquariums for aquarium fish to relax and create more joy in life. 

“I’m old, raising this child is both leisurely and fun. It takes little capital and has a good income. The Amyda cartilaginea, also known as the three-thorned papaya, is my native animal in the South. suitable for farmers, especially the elderly to do business,” said Mr. Bay.