MUDFISH BREEDING GUIDE

A mudfish (Channa striata) can be found in swamps, mangrove, rivers, rice fields and lakes. It spawns throughout the year growing from 10 to 37 cm in length. The fish matures sexually when it reaches 24 centimeters. It is a native fish used for food. It has a supra-pharyngeal organs capable for air-breathing.

It can be breed locally. A concrete tank with the measurement of 4x2x2 meters is the ideal size of the tank. The breeding fish should at least 30 centimeters weighing 400 grams or greater (both male and female). A female has a wide girth. Prior to spawning, feed it with small fish or earthworms for the period of 2 weeks before spawning period at the water depth of .03 meters. During spawning it should be increase into .06 meters.

Most often the fish spawn in the early morning. She will spawn at the side or near the surface of the tank. The male and female fish will slowly swim around its other where the male coils around the female for the release of eggs which are to be fertilized. A male breeder can release more or less 5,500 eggs immediately. If the male breeder is large enough then he can make more at one single release of eggs.

The eggs has oil globules in order to float the eggs to the surface of the water. Hatching be done within 3 days. The fry can swim within 5 days. The fry can be feed on zooplankton, rotifiers and copepods, earthworms, maggots or other live feeds. the recommended market size of fingerlings is up to 250 grams. Continues feeding be done by using fine rice bran and ground trash.

Mudfish should be given enough feeds daily to avoid become a predator by feeding on its own kind. To avoid cannibalistic attitude, sorting should be done by sizes regularly. Those with smaller size, should be segregated and put in a separate tank. Same sizes should be grown together.

The disease of mudfish is caused by fungal infection. It can be controlled by maintaining good water quality in the tank. Any diseased fingerlings should be taken out from them.

After reaching the recommended market size,it will be sold live to wet market. Mudfish can survive without water for the maximum of one day. It only need their body to keep moist. Others put the fish in an aquarium big enough to accommodate them to keep them fresh and alive for buyers.

This fish can be cook, roasted, dried and salted. It is a delicacy if cooked with coconut.