Venturing into catfish farming is one of the most
lucrative agricultural livestock businesses. A lot of catfish farmers are
really making a lot of profits from their catfish farms. But one of the major challenge
most catfish farmers are facing is disease control. In this article we are
going to look at some of the major diseases that affect catfish production.
Some
of the Major Diseases of Catfish
The following are some of the major catfish diseases that
can affect catfish production:
1. Catfish
crack head disease:
Crack head disease is the most common catfish disease in
ponds. The particular cause of this disease is not yet understood unlike
earthen ponds and natural water bodies. But a lot of people have said that
adverse water quality due to over feeding is the main cause and also unbalanced
nutrients in the diet of the food of the catfish can also be the cause.
The following are the symptoms of the disease on affected
catfish:
·
Distended abdomen due to Septicemia and Hemorrhage.
·
Occasional Exopthalmus (Pop eye).
One thing about this disease is that it can be detected
at an early stage, you will see the affected catfish showing reddish lateral
line on the skull between the two air chambers, as soon as this symptom is
observed in some of the catfish during sampling, feeding should be
substantially reduced and the pond water should be replaced.
The catfish will recover after some few weeks then
feeding can be increased little by little.
2. Water
quality disease:
One of the major causes of suffocation and mass mortality
in pond is Oxygen deficiency. It occurs when the weather suddenly becomes hot,
or the air temperature rises and reduces the solubility of the oxygen.
How to prevent it and treat it:
In the area of the ponds, make sure that excess muds are
removed after each culture period. Catfish tanks should be line-washed at the
rate of 225 - 275kg/ha after each culture period, aerators may be used to
increase oxygen level.
3. Gas
bubble disease:
The Gas bubble disease is caused by oxygen saturation in
the water resulting to rapid increase in algal photosynthesis. Small bubbles
accumulate on the catfish, intestines, skin, and filaments causing the fishes
to float.
How to prevent and treat it:
One of the ways to prevent and treat this disease is the
addition of fresh water and fertilization to the ponds, this will curtail the
incidence of the oxygen super saturation and gas bubbling.
4. Running
horse disease:
The Running horse disease is another disease that is common
in catfish farm, some of the affected catfish usually swim violently in groups
around the side of the pond.
How to prevent it and treat it:
Make sure that the stocking density of fry is controlled
by draining part of the catfish tank water every other day.
5. Anaemia
disease:
Some of the affected catfish will be black with big head
and small body because of overcrowding and food shortage.
How to prevent it and treat it:
·
Try as much as possible to avoid overcrowding.
·
Try and ensure adequate feeding.
6. Gill
rot:
The Gill rot is caused by bacteria called flexibacter
columnaries. This particular disease really affects all the different levels of
catfish like fingerlings, juvenile.
The following are the symptoms of the disease:
·
Black gill filament covered with mud or
mucus.
·
Gill ulcerates drip off.
·
Inflammation and hyperemia are visible inside
the opercula.
How to treat it:
You can apply Table salt (NaCl) at a concentration of 2 - 2.5% into 10 - 15 in 20 litres of water.
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