A quick guide to starting a profitable Catfish farming business in Nigeria part 1

From time immemorial, fish has been a major part of man’s diet and business. The influence of fish as meat/snack cannot be underestimated, from the low budget earners who are only able to afford fish as meat, to those who use fish as a business. The human body demands a reasonable quantity of protein which fish constitute about 41% hence, there is a great demand for fish, by all class, age and status. 

Fish is also able to be turned into varieties for business- dried fish, stockfish, fried fish, barbeque fish, grilled fish and etcetera. There are also various types of fish that can be used for various purposes, but the focus of this book is catfish farming- how you can rear catfish business purpose. Modern farm practice has made it possible to grow fish as long as you can find a good space. 

If you are an existing farmer, this book will help you know more as well as earn more with the strategies written in this book. If you are thinking of starting catfish farming but don’t know how to, then you have just picked the right book. If you are looking forward to expanding your farm capacity, I encourage you to add fish farming to your farm. 

Fish farming remains the most acceptable and healthy source of protein for human consumption, this essential product is not readily available in our locality. 

to address the demand of our ever-increasing population. This has resulted in continuous importation of frozen fish to make up for this shortfall, still, the cap in demand and supply keeps widening, giving rise to a huge opportunity for already established and would-be farmers to make the best out of the fish rearing sector.  

Apart from the huge profit in catfish farming, there are other underlying benefits like increasing the source of protein in the society at an affordable rate, reduction of unemployment, raising national income and lastly distribution of wealth.

Here's what I will teach you!

• Why catfish farming
• Fish farming requirement 
• Catfish farming  
• Farming process 
• Fish health management 
• Fish mortality  
• Fish farm business  
• Fish sampling  
• Water quality management
• Record keeping

This is a very long read, but you will learn a whole lot about starting your own fish farming business.

Why catfish farming 

Catfish is one of the most enjoyable varieties of fish for Nigerians. This is because of its high nutrition rate and the different styles that it can be enjoyed, of which the most popular is catfish pepper soup and barbeque fish.

Catfish can be rated as one of the most popular fish because it is found all over Nigeria. It is enjoyed by almost all the tribe, able to resist harsh environmental conditions, commands good taste, and of course, good profit also. The estimated production rate is over 253,898 metric tons per year.

Apart from the catfish itself, there are other products that can be made from catfish to increase value, this include: catfish oil, catfish soap, catfish body cream and other businesses that can be done alongside catfish business. 

According to the Federal Department of Fisheries, under the ministry of agriculture estimates that between 2001- 2012, over 253,898 metric tons of catfish to food security of the nation, making it $846, 326, 667 with additional, $432, 163, 334 from restaurant and eatery operations. An initial capital of N779, 000 could be invested to get a revenue of N1.325, 000 and an annual profit of N545, 000. These data show that catfish business is a profitable business.

Fish is a major source of protein to the human body, and also provides 40% of the dietary intake of animal protein. Because fish and fish produce constitute more than 60% of the total protein of the average Nigerian, it is an excellent source of sulphur and essential amino acids such as lysine, leucine, valine, and arginine. It is also suitable for supplementing diet of high carbohydrates content.

 A major source of thiamine as well as an extremely rich source of Omega-3 polysaturated fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins (A, D and E) and water soluble vitamins (B complex) and minerals ( Calcium, phosphorus, iron, Iodine, and selenium). It also have a high content of polyunsaturated (omega iii) fatty acids, which are important for reducing blood cholesterol level and high blood pressure. It also reduces the risk of sudden death, lowers the risk of age related muscular degeneration and vision impairment, and decrease the risk of bowel cancer. Others include: 

• The profit margin of fish will always be high as it sell very well in Nigeria restaurant, eateries, Night bars, and for home use. They are various uses of fish; hence, there is steady demand of fish. 
• Fish when given appropriate feeding grows very fast so the period of return on investment (ROI) is short.
• You can set up fish farming anywhere. It does not cause any environment hazard. Unlike most other farming practice, you can setup a catfish farm in residential and commercial areas as long as there is space. 
• Catfish farming is easy to farm in warm climate like Africa. ∙ Catfish feeds on carnivorous farming like insect, worms and fish feed. ∙ The female catfish lay between 10-90 eggs at a time and hatch them within a week. 

Some very important questions to ask before going into fish farming

1. How much capital do I have to invest now? It is very important to know how much capital you are starting with so you can determine your starting scale, whether small or large.  
2. How much demand is placed on catfish in my area? It is paramount to know your competition around your vicinity. It is also very necessary to consider the kind of environment you are in. A person who stays close to a market may have it easier to selling his/ her catfish than someone who stays in an estate. 
3. Knowledge/time: you may want to put into consideration the amount of knowledge and time you have to put into the business. If you have the time, gain practical knowledge and training on fish farming. If you don’t have the time but have the money, employ a fish farmer to manage your farm for you. 
4. Develop your business plan ahead: developing a concrete business plan will help you give a focus to the scale of your operation.  
5. With proper farming method and good management practice, a 1 million naira investment in fish farming could easily result in 3 million naira of profit within the first year of farming. 
6. Marketing your product will be least of your problem. Fishery products is by far the most popular animal product in the market, it constitutes more than 60% of meat products in the Nigerian market. 
7. A fish farmer can integrate fish farming into an existing farm to create additional income and improve its water management. 
8. The fish produced in a pond is the owner's property; they are secure and can be harvested at will. Fish in wild waters are free for all and make an individual share in the common catch uncertain.  
9. Effective land use: effective use of marginal land e.g. land that is too poor, or too costly to drain for agriculture can be profitably devoted to fish farming provided that it is suitably prepared 
10. Fish growth in ponds can be controlled: the farmers themselves select the fish species they wish to raise. 

Types of Fish you can Farm in Nigeria 

Now that you have seen the mind blowing benefits of fish farming, let take a look at different fish species that is most suitable for Aquaculture. 

1. Catfish: This fish is by far the most cultivated fish species in Nigeria. The main reason been the ease of cultivating it. It reproduces very quickly and grows rapidly. This is the main fish species we will be focusing on. 
2. Tilapia: This is the second most popular fish in Nigeria's aquaculture industry, it’s cultivated in fresh and shallow water. 
3. Mackerel (Titus): This species of fish is hardly farmed, it survives mainly in seawater because of its salinity. It is caught in the wild. 

Fish farming Methods 

Fish farming may range from ‘backyard’ subsistence ponds to largescale industrial enterprises. 

1. Extensive fish farming: In this method, economic and labour inputs are usually low. Natural food production plays a very important role, and the system’s productivity is relatively low. Fertilizer may be used to increase fertility and thus fish production.
2. Semi-intensive fish farming requires a moderate level of inputs and fish production is increased by the use of fertilizer and/or supplementary feeding. This means higher labour and feed costs, but higher fish yields usually more than compensate for this. 
3. Intensive fish farming involves a high level of inputs and stocking the ponds with as many fish as possible. The fish are fed supplementary feed, while natural food production plays a minor role. This will be our ultimate focus in this book. 

Since we are focusing on Catfish, I should tell you a few things about it. 

General Characteristics of the African Catfish (Why farm catfish)  

• Good Feed Conversion Ratio 
• ∙ External air-breathing abilities  
• Relative tolerance of below average (sub-optimal) water quality conditions 
• High survival rate after the fingerling stage, 
• Adaptable to polyculture with Nile tilapia based farming systems 
• Good flesh quality  
• low in lipid (fat) and high in protein 

Other characteristics of the African Catfish are stated in the table below:

Why some Fish Farmers Fall 

• Poor Farm Siting: This includes a place with poor water supply; poor soils for pond construction (e.g. may be rocky or sandy); far away from markets and/or supplies; among others. 

• Poor farm and facility design: Ponds not compacted properly leak a lot, may be too shallow, and consequently construction and maintenance costs become too high, while optimum yields are not achieved. Poor accessibility to ponds, requiring workers to walk across difficult terrain to transfer fish from pond to vehicle or vice-versa. 

• Poor Investment Plan: Several farmers assume that to be a commercial fish farmer one must have several large ponds. Hence, they construct many ponds at once, which constrain their cash flow. Because of this, it takes a while for some farmers to begin production, or they may only afford to start production in one pond after all the investment.  Start production before knowing what management options are available or how to farm fish. That is, learning by the “trial and error approach”  Start looking for the market for fish when the fish is ready for sale. Meanwhile, because they are still feeding, the pond attains its maximum loading and fish stop growing. The longer the fish stay in the pond after they have stopped growing, the smaller the profit margin. 

  Do not employ the right people: Hiring family members who have little or no desire to learn proper fish farming techniques is a liability because most people find it difficult to dismiss these workers even after it has become apparent that they are the reason for the poor performance of the fish farm. Entrepreneurs must employ the right people.  Irregular and improper feeding: This ranges from complete lack of knowledge about the nutritional requirements and feeding of catfish to attempts at saving money by using cheap feeds. Some farmers just do not feed their fish because they think fish will grow as long as they are in water. They do not realize that like all animals, best performance would be obtained if the fish have a balanced diet and that the feed needs to be eatable, easily digestible and does not disintegrate into the water before the fish can consume it. Farmers must provide fish with the correct feed of the right quality. 

   Do not appreciate that different management levels have different requirements, which consequently affects stocking rates. Stocking rates are a function of the specific management regime. Do not keep records and do not assess performance to re-adjust management practices accordingly after each cycle. A farmer is therefore unable to tell whether he or she has made a profit or loss.

   Having money in one’s pocket after a sale does not imply one has made a profit. Some farmers do not want to keep records because they are scared of facing the harsh realities of a loss. Unless one is able to face the bitter truth and correct his/her management practices, there will not be improvements and the business will eventually collapse.  Wrong objectives for investing in aquaculture: Some do it simply because their friends are doing it or because they are targeting ‘free’ funds from donors or government. Nothing in this world is free. 

  Always watch out for the hidden costs before making a final decision. Furthermore, pond construction is costly and is not something one should undertake for the sake of it. Changing one’s mind and having to fill in ponds because you have changed your mind is even more costly. Think objectively before you embark on fish farming. 

  Farm fish as a business; as a source of employment and income for yourself and others. Invest in fish farming only if you have identified it as a serious opportunity that can work out into a successful enterprise. Lack of technical know-how: Some farmers do not have the practical knowledge of fish farming before entering into the business. Those who seem to have some knowledge often have not undergone complete training on fish production. Some depend on observation and purported knowledge of fish farming, which often is far from the reality. For example, with feeding, the feeder needs skills on fish response to feeding and quantity of feed to give the fish at a given rate, and at a given period.

Fish are greatly affected by the environment in which they are grown. An aquatic ecosystem is extremely dynamic, changing with nutrient inputs, weather and season. Therefore, the fish farmer needs to understand the following:  

Fish growth and survival are closely related to water quality. Furthermore, fish are cold-blooded animals. The temperature of the environment directly influences all of their bodily functions.  

Thus, while the markets determine aquaculture opportunity, the ecological and economic principles determine the choices for sustainable aquaculture practices and technology.  

Therefore, users of this book are encouraged to understand the principles on which this catfish static water-pond-production technology is based upon. This is because the specific environment where the farm is located defines what additional opportunities and constraints in production one is likely to encounter.  

Hence, farmers are encouraged to be observant and continue to make adaptations in order to enhance the productivity and profitability of their specific enterprises. This book is only a guide to the commercial production of catfish in ponds. 

Questions to answer before you start a fish farm! 

You must place emphasis on careful handling, cleaning, processing, packaging, transport and retail sales is paramount to developing your market

• Who will buy my produce? 
• Where do I find those that will buy my fish? 
• How do I get through to them? 
• At what price do I sell my fish? (Considering the competition) ∙ Where am I now and at what stage will I consider an expansion?