Freshwater aquaculture

Practical 2 - Cultivable air breathing fish

Introduction

• Murrels and catfish are the important air breathing fish suitable for culture
• They have accessory respiratory organ – can directly breath atmospheric oxygen
• They can be cultivated in low DO areas such as shallow derelict ponds, marshes, swamps
• They are predatoy – therefore need to be cultured under monoculture
• Fetch higher price than carps because they can be marketed alive

There are two types of predatory fish

Non- piscivorous

• Clarias batrachus
• Heteropneutis fossilis
• Anabas testudineus

Piscivorous

• Channa (Ophiocephalus) marulius
• C. (O). striatus
• C. (O). punctatus

Piscivourous fish can be grown along with forage fish

Supplementary feeding can be with slaughter house waste/poultry offal

Air breathing fish reach marketable size in 6-8 months