it is very disheartenin dat good catfish fingerlings and juveniles are not easy to come by nowadays.most hatchers attribute this to weather which affects hatching.some says we are experiencing in-breeding.these i believe are mere excuses dat cant hold water.wat can we do as fish farmers to resolve dis ridiculous occurences.pls,lets brainstorm.dapo

Aquaculture expert here. The issue of inbreeding should not be underestimated here. First of all, most of the breeders embark on the dubious practice of using fishes less than a year for their broodstock, that have not been carefully selected for egg quality, agility and disease resistance. Inbreed fishes have their genetic characteristics deteriorated, Such that is practiced by using the same fish over and over again, much properly, the offspring of the same fish. The growth potential of such fish will actually reduce down the offspring. As a fish farmer, you should never compromise on the quality and source of your fingerlings because they determine the profitability of your business in the long run. If you cannot get from a reputable hatchery, better you do it yourself. Make sure you don't get your broodstocks from the same place. Do try to get fishes older than 1 year at any cost. They may be expensive, But it is worth it. Also, watch what you give your fishes. Are you formulating your feeds because you're trying to save costs when you're actually compromising on the protein value? Expensive "imported" feeds might actually be better for you, though expensive, But considering the fact that you're presently raising fishes with less growth, hence less market value, you may be doing your economics wrong sir. My little 2 cents, feel free to ask your questions. Thanks!

thanks for d advise.is there an info centre where reliable brookstock sellers and hatchers could be reached.bad fish are all over places.some sell runts lieing abt the age,some even use jumpers from their stocks and use as broodstock to hatch,its pathetic.dapo