Catfish Culture In Nigeria Progress Prospects And Problems

INTRODUCTION

Catfishes of the Family The Most Commonly understood Claridae Cultivated fishes in Nigeria. The Growth of aquaculture in Nigeria Now Is Largely Being Boosted by a steady rise in catfish culture. Since The Culture of Clarias gariepinus-through hypophysation WAS Initiated in Western Nigeria in 1973, The procedure has been "Widely practiced THROUGHOUT Nigeria Malthus Leading to Increase of Farm-Raised catfishes from the 80's to date. The Favoured catfish aquaculture species in Nigeria include: Clarias gariepinus, Heterobranchus bidorsalis, Clarias Hybrid X Heterobranchus (Heteroclarias) nigrodigitatus and Clarias. Is The Heterobranchus sp more Commonly cultured fish in the South Eastern share of Nigeria.

Larval PRODUCTION

Despite The Popularity Of The African catfish and its great market potentials, The Production Is Still Basically at subsistence level due to inadequate availability of majorly seed for stocking and feed problems. In Europe, about 75% of fingerling Clarias DEMANDS are Supplied by A Few Producers. In Nigeria however, The fingerlings from Supplied Both The Government and Privately owned Hatcheries Are Not Enough to Meet the Catfish Farmers' fingerling demand.

Artificial propagation of C. gariepinus Is Now Carried out in Hatcheries With hormonal induction. The Farmers Have found homoplastic pituitary gland suspension cheaper, and more Practical Than The Highly reliable importé synthetic hormone analogues. The C. gariepinus broodstock weight Used For Artificial breeding ranges Between 0.3kg and 2kg (Olaleye, 2005). Despite The Breakthrough With use of hormones in induced spawning, fry survival Is Still Beset With A number of biotic and abiotic factors. The Biotic Factors include cannibalism, heavy predation by frogs / aquatic insects & the abiotic Factors include water temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (> 4.5mg/L-1), levels of ammonia. "During the first week after stocking, The Most Successful critical factor pour la nursing Of The catfish larvae Is The availability of zooplankton. Feeds and Feeding Of The larvae, fry and fingerlings of The Catfish MOST Have Been Shown to influence and studied The Growth and survival of the fish. Studies Have Revealed That Is The live zooplankton preferred larval food. Many smallholdings Merely rear larvae to fingerling size in organically fertilized ponds at a density of 30-1000 Between larvae/m2 (Olaleye, 2005). Fingerling rearing ponds are stocked Into at a rate of 50-75 fish/m3 Under good management.

THE CULTURE SYSTEM

Because Of The cannibalistic nature of Clarias gariepinus, multiple sorting IS essential. For outdoor fry / fingerling rearing, screening of The Tank With mosquito net IS recommended to Prevent and Other predatory dragonfly insects from breeding in the pond. Poly-culture of Clarias gariepinus and Tilapia species IS practiced. A poly-culture of Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus With integrated supplementary feeding poultry With Some HAD Been Shown to Be sustainable.

FEED AND FEEDING

Feed and feeding of catfishes in ponds grow outs are Perhaps The Most Documented in literature. Various efforts to Have Been Made ESTABLISH The crude protein and amino acid requirement "of C. gariepinus. Ayinla (1988) recommended 35% and 40% crude protein (Cp) for raising table size and brood stock respectivement. Of The 10 essential amino acids (EAA) required by Warm Water Fish Species, only three studied EAAS Have Been Documented and thesis are arginnie, methionine and lysine. In order to Formulate and Compound aqua feeds That Will Meet The Nutrient Requirements Of The catfish at affordable cost, SEVERAL Conventional and Non-Conventional animal by-products and plant residues Have Been Tested to substitute or replace fishmeal (Table 1). Feeding development has Moved From The use of single ingredient, broadcasting one-to pel pelleted meal.