Commercial culture of cuchia fish

BAU researcher succeeds in �cuchia� breeding

Commercial culture of freshwater mud eel, locally known as cuchia, has been taken up after its successful breeding and nursing. The slimy fish was once available in plenty in greater Mymensingh region, but now the fish species is becoming extinct. The scientific name of the indigenous one is Monopterus cuchia, which is a tasty fish and popular among ethnic people of our country. An indigenous cuchia weighs 300 to 2,000 grams.
It is nutritionally rich and medicinally valuable fish with high export demands, which can play a unique role for socio-economic welfare of the area. However, the population of the freshwater eel is declining at an alarming rate from the natural water bodies due to several reasons, especially for overfishing while increasing the population of this fish completely depends on natural reproduction, and thus this fish are recorded as rare species in Bangladeshi habitats.
This fish is normally found in muddy ponds, swamps and rice fields and  often spends the day hiding under crevices, water hyacinth, stones and mud. Cuchia is nocturnal as it comes out at night in search of food and may go into adjacent water bodies to feed.  In nature, cuchia feed on live small fishes, preferably stinging catfish, shrimp, frog tadpoles. They eat more when they carry eggs.
Over the years, research institutions, including Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) have been working on breeding and commercial cultivation of this endangered fish.
A research team, led by Harunur Rashid, Professor of Fisheries Management Department of BAU, has been trialing an induced spawning of mud eel Monopterus cuchia since 2012. This year, the team has become successful in producing cuchia fry in captivity by manipulating the environment.
Kaniz Fatema, Associate Prof. of the Fisheries Management Department of BAU and PhD student Maksudul Alam Porag assisted Prof. Harun in his research work.
The success is a breakthrough in the captive fry production of this commercially important and endangered fish species of Bangladesh.
Prof. Harun said wild brood stocks of cuchia were collected from the depot of commercial traders located in Mymensingh Sadar. These brood fishes were collected by Adibashi Garo collectors from different beels (large water body). Collected brood stock were disinfected with a quick potash bath and stocked in previously prepared pond located at the backyard of Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh.
Standard fish husbandry protocol on eel culture was followed for rearing these brood fishes. Feeds such as live earthworm, trash fishes and protein-rich (35% protein) diets were supplied to fish, said the researcher.  
For ‘natural breeding’ a total 20 fishes (10 male, 10 female) were stocked in a breeding pit. Both rubber and PVC pipes were laid down on the bottom mud to provide shelter and create breeding hole for cuchia. Water depth was maintained in a way that it does not exceed 0.4 meter.
In Late April, broods laid eggs and some of the eggs were collected from breeding holes inside the pits and in the mid-May, cuchia fry were found inside the breeding holes and in breeding pits.
Prof. Harun said after ‘natural breeding’ they have collected cuchia fry from the breeding holes and pits during early June 2015. These fry are now being nursed inside plastic bowls.
These bowls are now provided with gentle water flow and aerated. Some topa pana (soft grass) are put inside nursing bowl to provide shelter for cuchia fry inside their bushy roots.
First feeding trial is underway to identify the best preferred diet of cuchia fry during their early life stage. Cuchia fry in different nursing bowls are now being fed with egg yolk, zooplankton, Tubifex, earth worm minced, trash fish minced, commercial pre-starter feed, Artemia, etc.
A growth trial for few weeks with the feed will help identify the best diet for cuchia fry, the researcher said.

Commercial culture of cuchia fish

BAU researcher succeeds in �cuchia� breeding

Commercial culture of freshwater mud eel, locally known as cuchia, has been taken up after its successful breeding and nursing. The slimy fish was once available in plenty in greater Mymensingh region, but now the fish species is becoming extinct. The scientific name of the indigenous one is Monopterus cuchia, which is a tasty fish and popular among ethnic people of our country. An indigenous cuchia weighs 300 to 2,000 grams. It is nutritionally rich and medicinally valuable fish with high export demands, which can play a unique role for socio-economic welfare of the area. However, the population of the freshwater eel is declining at an alarming rate from the natural water bodies due to several reasons, especially for overfishing while increasing the population of this fish completely depends on natural reproduction, and thus this fish are recorded as rare species in Bangladeshi habitats. This fish is normally found in muddy ponds, swamps and rice fields and often spends the day hiding under crevices, water hyacinth, stones and mud. Cuchia is nocturnal as it comes out at night in search of food and may go into adjacent water bodies to feed. In nature, cuchia feed on live small fishes, preferably stinging catfish, shrimp, frog tadpoles. They eat more when they carry eggs. Over the years, research institutions, including Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) have been working on breeding and commercial cultivation of this endangered fish. A research team, led by Harunur Rashid, Professor of Fisheries Management Department of BAU, has been trialing an induced spawning of mud eel Monopterus cuchia since 2012. This year, the team has become successful in producing cuchia fry in captivity by manipulating the environment. Kaniz Fatema, Associate Prof. of the Fisheries Management Department of BAU and PhD student Maksudul Alam Porag assisted Prof. Harun in his research work. The success is a breakthrough in the captive fry production of this commercially important and endangered fish species of Bangladesh. Prof. Harun said wild brood stocks of cuchia were collected from the depot of commercial traders located in Mymensingh Sadar. These brood fishes were collected by Adibashi Garo collectors from different beels (large water body). Collected brood stock were disinfected with a quick potash bath and stocked in previously prepared pond located at the backyard of Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh. Standard fish husbandry protocol on eel culture was followed for rearing these brood fishes. Feeds such as live earthworm, trash fishes and protein-rich (35% protein) diets were supplied to fish, said the researcher. For natural breeding a total 20 fishes (10 male, 10 female) were stocked in a breeding pit. Both rubber and PVC pipes were laid down on the bottom mud to provide shelter and create breeding hole for cuchia. Water depth was maintained in a way that it does not exceed 0.4 meter. In Late April, broods laid eggs and some of the eggs were collected from breeding holes inside the pits and in the mid-May, cuchia fry were found inside the breeding holes and in breeding pits. Prof. Harun said after natural breeding they have collected cuchia fry from the breeding holes and pits during early June 2015. These fry are now being nursed inside plastic bowls. These bowls are now provided with gentle water flow and aerated. Some topa pana (soft grass) are put inside nursing bowl to provide shelter for cuchia fry inside their bushy roots. First feeding trial is underway to identify the best preferred diet of cuchia fry during their early life stage. Cuchia fry in different nursing bowls are now being fed with egg yolk, zooplankton, Tubifex, earth worm minced, trash fish minced, commercial pre-starter feed, Artemia, etc. A growth trial for few weeks with the feed will help identify the best diet for cuchia fry, the researcher said.