Catfish farming in Nigeria with plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds

Plastic tanks used in growing catfish come in various sizes and capacities from a volume of 1000 litres through to 20,000 litres.

Plastic tanks used in growing catfish come in various sizes and capacities from a volume of 1000 litres through to 20,000 litres. Used chemical storage tanks like IBC (Intermediate Bulk Containers) can be repurposed to serve as fish tanks. Tarpaulin material is also wrapped around rectangular frames and used as ponds to grow catfish.

Plastic tanks can be bought from manufacturers of water storage tanks and their retailers. Tarpaulin materials can be bought from markets that deal in related plastic and chemical products and used to construct the ponds. These types of ponds are temporary and used mainly in residential areas to grow catfish. On a larger scale tarpaulin materials can be used to line earthen ponds.

Plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds have plumbing systems to channel fresh water into the ponds and wastewater out of the ponds. A pit is necessary for the waste water. Equipment you will find in a catfish farm that uses plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds to grow fish include water well, pumping machine, nets, plastic containers or bowls, water storage tanks, weighing scale and a store room.

Advantages of growing catfish with Plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds

i) They are easy to set up, assemble and disassemble.

ii) They are the least costly to set up of the three common types of artificial fish ponds used in growing fish.

iii) Leakages are easy to spot and fix.

iv) It can be set up in residential areas where they can be secured and easily monitored.

v) It is easy to monitor and observe the growth of the fish grown using plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds.

vi) They are suitable for use in hatching or spawning catfish fries because they can be set up inside a building where the ambient temperature can be controlled. 

vii) If the farmer changes his or her mind about catfish farming it is relatively easy to disassemble the system and resell the component parts of the plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds to other fish farmers.

viii) They are easy to maintain.

ix) They can be set up very close to the market for catfish in urban areas.

x) It is suitable for people who want to start small or who want to experiment catfish farming.

Disadvantages of growing catfish with plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds

i) The component parts have relatively short lifespans of about 3 – 5 years.

ii) They break easily leading to leakages that must be fixed.

iii) They require frequent cleaning to control the slimy layer of plankton growth and bacteria colonies along the walls of the plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds. 

iv) They have the most artificial environment among the common artificial methods of growing catfish. 

v) It is usually impractical to scale beyond a 20,000 capacity fish farm when exclusively using plastic tanks and tarpaulin ponds to grow catfish.

vi) The setup and look of a plastic tank and tarpaulin ponds system can easily get clumsy and cumbersome as it scales beyond a capacity of 5,000 catfish.

NB: Are you thinking about starting a catfish farming business and you need consulting services to help prevent making costly mistakes? Then consult with us. We are Divine Fish Farm and Gardens. Call +2348077776861, Email: info@divinefish.com.ng. Website: https://divinefish.com.ng

Catfish on a scale in a plastic container
Plastic container of 2000 litres capacity
Tarpaulin ponds
Juvenile catfish in black plastic container

Cost of feeding 1000 pieces of catfish juveniles to 1kg table-size fish in Nigeria

A good benchmark for budget planning to grow catfish is estimating the cost required to feed the fish till they reach market size. I recommend that every fish farmer does this at the beginning of a fish growing cycle.

A good benchmark for budget planning to grow catfish is estimating the cost required to feed the fish till they reach market size. I recommend that every fish farmer does this at the beginning of a fish growing cycle.

When feeding of catfish is done optimally, 1000 kilogrammes (kg) of feed will convert to 1000 kilogrammes of catfish flesh.

Method

You can choose to grow 1000 kg of catfish by:

  1. Growing 3000 pieces of catfish juveniles to average mass of 330 grammes in 3 months; or
  2. 2000 pieces of juveniles to average mass of 500 grammes in 4 months; or
  3. 1000 pieces of juveniles to average mass of 1 kg in 6 months.

Whichever method you choose from above, it is recommended that you grow with floating feed to 50% of body mass and complete with sinking feed for the remaining 50% of body mass.

 Cost of feed (as of March, 2020) for raising 1 tonne of catfish.

  1. 500 kg of bagged floating feed will cost roughly N220, 000 (two hundred and twenty thousand naira); and
  2. 500 kg of bagged sinking feed will cost roughly N185, 000.

Going by the above you can estimate that it will cost you N405,000 to grow 1 tonne of catfish flesh.

Thank you.

Email: info@divinefish.com.ng.

Nutritional Benefits of Eating Catfish

Catfish are a type of white fish that can live in both freshwater and saltwater and are known for being rich in vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids. Catfish can be farmed and harvested as we do at Divine Fish Farm and Gardens or caught in the wild in rivers, streams and lagoons.

Catfish is a type of white fish that can live in both freshwater and saltwater and is known for being rich in vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids. Catfish can be farmed and harvested as we do at Divine Fish Farm and Gardens Nigeria or caught in the wild in rivers, streams and lagoons.

Catfish helps you meet your protein needs and boosts your intake of vitamins and healthy fats and fatty acids.

Catfish is a good source of vitamin B12, a nutrient that is typically only found in animal products. Vitamin B12 is important for your health because it helps your body make DNA and keeps your nerve and blood cells functioning properly.

Catfish is low in calories and fat.

Eating catfish is a tasty way to boost your intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both of these nutrients play a part in heart and cognitive health. Consumption of these fatty acids is thought to be associated with reduction in blood pressure and reduced risk for certain cancers, inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and even mental decline.

Catfish Nutrition Facts
Catfish is a good source of protein, with 49 percent of the daily value (DV) in one fillet (about 160 grams). Each 160 gram serving of farmed catfish also has the following vitamins and minerals:

  • 10 percent of the daily value (DV) for vitamin E

  • 38 percent of the DV for thiamin (vitamin B1)

  • 7 percent of the DV for riboflavin (vitamin B2)

  • 18 percent of the DV for niacin (vitamin B3)

  • 10 percent of the DV for pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)

  • 15 percent of the DV for vitamin B6

  • 65 percent of the DV for vitamin B12

  • 8 percent of the DV for copper

  • 9 percent of the DV for magnesium

  • 32 percent of the DV for phosphorus

  • 14 percent of the DV for potassium

  • 29 percent of the DV for selenium

  • 8 percent of the DV for zinc

Catfish also has small amounts (between 1 and 4 percent) of most other essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, calcium, iron and manganese. They also contain other nutrients, like choline and are good sources of healthy, essential fats. Catfish have both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Recipies: African delicacies you can prepare with dried catfish:

  1. How to cook ogbono soup with smoked and dried catfish

  2. How to cook banga soup (‘ofe akwu’) with smoked and dried catfish

  3. How to wash your smoked and dried catfish before cooking with it

You can order dried catfish online from Divine Fish and Gardens
You can order your dried catfish online. We deliver to Lagos.

Cost of catfish feed in Lagos Nigeria

One piece of information that is of importance to catfish farmers in Nigeria is the cost of catfish feed. Catfish are carnivorous animals and so can eat grains, vegetables, worms and flesh of other fish or animals.

A farmer can mill their own catfish feed or they can choose to buy feed produced by commercial feed millers. Whichever option of feed source a farmer uses to grow his fish he must ensure the feed is of good quality. Buy good quality I mean that the feed must contain the nutrients the fish needs to grow optimally and in the right proportions. The fish feed should also not pollute the pond water easily as this will lead to increased use of water.

While fingerling and juvenile catfish need feed with relatively high protein content (about 42%), as they grow they can do with less of protein and more of other components like fat and carbohydrate. Commercially bagged fish feed is a common choice among farmers in Nigeria, especially smallholder farmers, because it avoids the expensive overhead costs incurred in milling their own fish feed. They are available in containers or bags of 5kg, 15kg and 25kg.

Some common ingredients of fish feed are fish products, oils and fats, cereal grains, concentrates, and additives. A typical feed nutrient composition by percentage is crude protein (42%), crude fibre (4.5%), crude fat (12%), crude ash (8.4%), phosphorus (1.0%), calcium (1.3%), lysine (2.0%) and methionine + cysteine (0.9%).

The bagged fish feed are usually in pellets which can be sinking pellets, floating pellets, or extruded feeds.

Sinking pellets are usually tightly compressed with almost no air space within. It is easy to pack nutrients in sinking feed and it is the least expensive feed type. However, they sink quickly and often dissolve in the water before they are picked up by fish and so it tends to pollute the pond water. Also because they sink in water forcing the fish to feed at the bottom of the pond it is difficult to know when the fish are satisfied during feeding.

Floating pellets are loosely compressed and are filled with small air pockets which make them buoyant and float on water. They float for a relatively long time before they soak up enough water to make them sink. They are usually more expensive than sinking feed but this is compensated by decreased feed waste as the farmer can easily detect when the fish are satisfied and can stop feeding the fish.  

Extruded feeds are ground feeds that are forced through a die under pressure and steam heat. They are thought to be more digestible for catfish. This is the choice of feed for farmers who mill their own feed.

Farmers should take time to read the nutrient composition of the bagged feed they choose to buy. Some factors that determine the farmer’s choice of feed are:

  1. Cost of feed;
  2. Nutrient quality of feed;
  3. The degree to which the feed pollutes the fish pond water;
  4. Availability of the feed in the farmer’s locality.

Below are popular brands of commercially available feeds and their price ranges as of November, 2019. The prices are for 15kg bags in floating pellet sizes of 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 6mm, and 9mm. The smaller pellet sizes are usually more expensive than the larger pellet sizes due to nutrient composition and ease of manufacture.

  • CHI Feeds: N5500 – N6500;
  • Vital Feeds: N5800 – N6800;
  • Blue Crown: N5300 – N6300;
  • Topfeed: N4800 – N5200;
  • Ecofloat: N4200 – 4500;
  • Skretting: N6000 – N9300;
  • Aller-Aqua: N7600 – N9000;
  • Coppens: N8000 – N12500.

What are the prices of bagged fish feed near you? Feel free to share with us so others can learn. Thank you.

Order your dried catfish from Divine Fish Farm and Gardens. Click to know how.
Order your dried catfish from Divine Fish Farm and Gardens. Click to know how.

Estimate cost of growing 500 kilogrammes of catfish in Lagos, Nigeria for August – December, 2019

These are 8 weeks old juvenile catfish enjoying fresh water at Divine Fish Farm and Gardens. We intend to grow these fish for another 12 weeks (3 months) by which time they should average 500 grammes (g) per fish. At that size they will be ready for processing, i.e. smoking and drying.

These are 8 weeks old juvenile catfish enjoying fresh water at Divine Fish Farm and Gardens. We intend to grow these fish for another 12 weeks (3 months) by which time they should average 500 grammes (g) per fish. At that size they will be ready for processing, i.e. smoking and drying.

Here is a budget estimate for growing these fish.

The catfish in this pond number 1000 pieces. They will have an estimate total mass of 500 kilogrammes (kg) after 3 months. They will consume about 35 bags (15kg per bag) of extruded catfish feed at an estimate total cost of two hundred and forty-five thousand naira (N245,000).

The cost of hatching catfish fries and growing them through fingerlings to 1000 juveniles after 8 weeks is N35,000.

The operational costs of growing the fish is N55,000. The total estimate cost of growing the 1000 fish in this pond to 500 kg is N335,000.

Given this outlay at what price should the catfish be sold to recoup the investment? Remember that the farmer cannot ignore the market price of fish in deciding the price at which he or she will sell his or her fish. How much control does the farmer have over the price at which he/she sells his/her product? To which market should the farmer sell his/her product? Can the farmer take advantage of producing at scale to reduce unit cost of growing fish? How close is the farmer to his market?

The questions above are what every fish farmer should ask at the beginning of every fish farming cycle. A fish farmer should do his budget estimate at the beginning of every fish farming cycle. Intending fish farmers should also do this exercise so as to determine if the venture would be worthwhile.

Sadly, many catfish farmers in Nigeria do not do a budget analysis before engaging in the business of catfish farming and it often leads to unintended consequences. I will end with a tabulated estimate of growing 1000 catfish to an average mass of 500 grammes per fish.

Estimate cost of growing 500 kilogrammes of catfish in Lagos, Nigeria for August – December, 2019

SN

Item

Cost (N)

1

1000 pieces of juveniles

35,000

2

500 kg of extruded catfish feed

245,000

3

Operational costs

55,000

 

Total Cost

335,000

Sincerely,

Ugochukwu Ukwuegbu

Divine Fish Farms and Gardens

info@divinefish.com.ng, +2348077776861

www.DivineFish.com.ng

6 Reasons Onions Should Be Part Of Your Everyday Meal

Onions are important vegetables used almost every day, especially, for cooking. It falls in the category of allium vegetables which include garlic, leek to mention a few. However, onions have so many health benefits and below are some.

May Help Reduce Cancer Risk

Onion contains properties such as sulphur compounds and flavonoid antioxidants found in allium vegetables which are capable of reducing cancer and other related ailments. These vegetables decrease tumour development and slow the spread of ovarian and lung cancer. Also, research shows that consuming fresh yellow onion helped lessen insulin resistance and hyper-glycemia in breast cancer patients undergoing a form of chemotherapy known to cause insulin resistance.

Sliced onions
Sliced onions

Aids Digestion

Onions also aid digestion, it contains a special type of soluble fibre called oligofructose, which promotes good bacteria growth in the intestines; this helps digestion and at the same time, prevents and treats all forms of diarrhoea. This fibre also reduces the chances of developing gastric ulcer.

Eases Respiration

The anti-inflammatory properties of onions can help soothe respiratory ailments. According to medical practitioners, patients with a respiratory disorder like asthma and allergic rhinitis should include onions in their diet.

Improves Eyesight

Onions have the capacity to stimulate the production of a protein named glutathione, which acts as an antioxidant. This reduces the risk of glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataract. Also, the selenium in onion helps to increase the Vitamin E found in the eye.

Banga (akwu) and other ingredients
Banga (akwu) and other ingredients

Fertility Booster

Onion can be used to manage erectile dysfunction and sexual impotence in men. Its extract can be mixed with honey to boost fertility.

By Modupeoluwa Adekanye,

Culled from the Guardian Nigeria website

Recipe: How to wash your smoked and dried catfish before cooking with it

It is good practice to wash your dried catfish before using it to cook your soups, stews, yam porridge, or other delicacy. When you wash with hot water you kill bacteria that might be in the fish. Also, dust and smoke dissolve out leaving your smoked and dried catfish ready for cooking.

What you need

Method

  1. Bring the required number of pieces of catfish you need for your cooking out of the pack and put them in the bowl.
  2. Tear the catfish into pieces.
  3. You can pick the bones out though some people like to cook with it. The bones become soft on cooking.
  4. Pour hot boiling water into the bowl containing the pieces of dried catfish until the water covers the fish.
  5. Leave for 4 – 5 minutes.
  6. Stir with a spoon or fork or perforated spoon.
  7. Leave to settle for a minute.
  8. Pick the fish out of the bowl leaving water and residue behind.
  9. Your dried catfish is washed and ready for cooking.

If you need further explanation on how to wash your dried catfish feel free to comment below. You will be replied as soon as possible.

Do you want to order your dried catfish? We can deliver to you in Lagos, Nigeria if you order 2 kilogrammes of dried catfish for N10,000. 2kg of dried catfish contains about 20 – 24 pieces of fish and will remain in good condition after 6 weeks if you store properly. Call Ugo on +2348077776861.

Do you need recipe ideas for smoked and dried catfish? See:

We delivered eight thousand juvenile catfish to brand new farmers in Lagos and Enugu

It is interesting times of sorts as more young Nigerians in urban centres are venturing into catfish farming. At the beginning of October 2018 we delivered three thousand (3000) juveniles to a brand new catfish farmer in Lagos and in the fourth week of October 2008 we delivered five thousand (5000) juveniles to another farmer in Enugu State.

We were impressed by the boldness of these two farmers considering that there is the somewhat conventional recommendation that first time catfish farmers start with growing 1000 juveniles.

We observed that the two farmers did their research before deciding on the relatively significant juveniles stock for starts. If they follow up the due diligence they have shown so far with commitment to good catfish farming practice and if they also take good decisions along the way they will get it right first time.

In the final week of October 2018 we assisted the farmer in Lagos to sort and count their fish. At the same time, we have been receiving updates from the farmer in Enugu and they are making good progress.

 

Note: You can source your catfish juveniles through us. Click here to find out how.

Click here to find out the prices of catfish fingerlings and juveniles in Lagos

Click here to find out how you can source your catfish fingerlings and juveniles through Divine Fish Farm.

Thank you.

Email: info@divinefish.com.ng, Phone: 08077776861.

 

Recipe: How to cook banga soup (‘ofe akwu’) with smoked and dried catfish

Banga soup is a staple among the peoples of the south east and south south parts of Nigeria. The ethnic groups you will find in this geographical location include Igbo, Efik, Ibibio, Urhobo and Bini. The Igbo call the soup ‘ofe akwu’, the Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri call it ‘banga soup’ while it is called ‘abak soup’ among the Efik and Ibibio. There are different flavours to this soup and the recipe described here will make a pot of soup.

Ingredients

  • Palm oil juice from 1 derica of palm nuts (banga or akwu)
  • Meat (beef or goat meet parboiled with thyme, onions and salt)
  • 3 pieces of dried catfish (tear to pieces, wash by soaking in hot water for 5 minutes, and picking the fish out of the water)
  • Ground dried pepper (4 teaspoonfuls)
  • Diced onions
  • Ground crayfish (4 teaspoonfuls)
  • Salt to taste
  • Sliced vegetables (okazi and uziza)

The timing in the method described here assumes you are using gas cooker on standard burn. Adjust appropriately if you are using a slower burner like kerosene stove. Boil the palm nuts and hand-wash to squeeze out oil juice using about 3 liters of water. Use a pot big enough that the 3 litres is not more than half-full in the pot.

Method

  1. 00:00 minutes (mins): Pour the 3 litres of oil palm juice in a pot, put on your gas cooker and light the cooker.
  2. 00:08 mins: Pour in your parboiled meat and stock. Stir.
  3. 00:17 mins: Add your dried catfish. Add ground dried pepper. Stir.
  4. 00:24 mins: Add crayfish, onions and salt. Stir.
  5. 00:28 mins: Add vegetables. Stir.
  6. 00:30 mins: Stir and put out the fire.
  7. Soup is ready.

You can eat the soup with your choice swallow. Common swallows that go with banga soup are fufu, pounded yam, eba, white amala, semovita, wheat meal. Banga soup can also be eating as sauce for white rice.

If you need further explanations on how to cook your banga soup with dried catfish feel free to send us a mail at info@divinefish.com.ng or call +2348077776861. You can also comment below. You will be replied as soon as possible.

Click here for how to wash your dried catfish before cooking with it.

Recipe: How to cook ogbono soup with smoked and dried catfish

If you want to treat yourself, friends or family to a delicious and nutritious meal with ogbono soup cooked with dried catfish then here is one tried and tested recipe that would keep everyone asking for more. This recipe will make a pot of soup.

Ingredients

  • Palm oil juice from 1 derica of palm nuts (banga or akwu)
  • Ground ogbono (1 milk cup of ogbono seeds)
  • Meat (beef or goat meet parboiled with thyme, onions and salt)
  • 3 pieces of dried catfish (tear to pieces, wash by soaking in hot water for 5 minutes, and picking the fish out of the water)
  • Ground dried pepper (4 teaspoonfuls)
  • Diced onions
  • Ground crayfish (4 teaspoonfuls)
  • Salt to taste
  • Sliced vegetables (okazi and uziza)

The timing in the method described here assumes you are using gas cooker on standard burn. Adjust appropriately if you are using a slower burner like kerosene stove. Boil the palm nuts and hand-wash to squeeze out oil juice using about 3 liters of water. Use a pot big enough that the 3 litres is not more than half-full in the pot.

Method

  1. 00:00 minutes (mins): Pour the 3 litres of oil palm juice in a pot, put on your gas cooker and light the cooker.
  2. 00:03 mins: The oil palm juice would just be warming. Gradually pour in the ground ogbono and stir gently with cooking spoon so that the ogbono dissolves without forming balls. Leave to boil. Stir at intervals of 4 minutes to prevent ogbono sticking to, and burning at the bottom of the pot.
  3. 00:13 mins: Pour in your parboiled meat and stock. Stir.
  4. 00:22 mins: Add your dried catfish. Add ground dried pepper. Stir.
  5. 00:29 mins: Add crayfish, onions and salt. Stir.
  6. 00:33 mins: Add vegetables. Stir.
  7. 00:36 mins: Stir and put out the fire.
  8. Soup is ready.

You can eat the soup with your choice swallow. Common swallows that go with ogbono soup are fufu, eba, pounded yam, white amala, semovita, wheat meal.

Ogbono soup is a delicacy among the peoples of the southern parts of Nigeria. If you need further explanations on how to cook your ogbono soup with dried catfish feel free to send us a mail at info@divinefish.com.ng or call +2348077776861. You can also comment below. You will be replied as soon as possible.

www.divinefish.com.ng

 

Click here for how to wash your dried catfish before cooking with it.