Now when you ask the question: How long does it take catfish to grow in Nigeria? In Nigeria, the question I would ask you is “Who are you selling your fish to ?”
This is what would answer that ‘How long does it take catfish to grow question. Because fish farming ventures raise their fish for different buyers and they all take different time to attain.
Let me list some fish buyers and sellers and how long it takes for catfish to grow to the sizes.
1. Hatchers
The hatchers are people who produce fingerlings and juveniles.
They buy catfish broodstock. A broodstock is a catfish older than one year.
They mates this male and female broodstock artificially and they sell the fingerlings and juveniles to other farmers.
So if you ask a hatcher how long it takes for catfish to grow for his business, it just takes him four or six weeks or at most two months for him to get his juveniles big enough to sell.
2. Melange Rearers
Another person just wants to buy these juveniles and rare them to mélange.
Melange is catfish that is between 200 to 500 grams.
Some people raise their fishes to this sizes and sell. He probably is selling to smoked fish sellers, (chief of whom are the hausas), they do not want their fish to be too big because the heat wont get into the fishes and they wont dry well. They actually want the fishes to dry perfectly.
And so, within three months of him getting the juveniles, his fish is big enough and he has sold his fish as mélange.
3. Pepper soup joints
Another person wants to sell to pepper soup joints and these ones would appreciate it if the fishes are slightly bigger than the mélange that is used for smoking.
These fishes are usually between three months 2 weeks to four month 2 weeks old. Anything between 500g to 800g is just ripe for peppersoup joints.
The fish must be big enough to look good in their pepper soup bowl but not too big for the peppersoup to be too expensive for their customers. I’ll just add Market women to this category.
Even though I don’t like selling fish to market women (story of another day). They also don’t want their fishes to be too big. Table size is just right for them. Table size is fish that is between 500-800g, that will take about 4-5 months for you to grow catfish to that size.
4. Interstate buyers
People that come interstate to buy fishes do not like buying small fishes. Their small fishes are 1kg and below. They want their fishes to be 2 or 3kg or more. The bigger the better. This takes about eight months to nine months to raise.
Note: This my time estimates is for the smallest fish in the pond to attain that size, before this times you would probably see 1 or 2 or more fishes in the size already, but since all the fishes are not that size, you cant say all your fishes are that size.
So, when you ask for how long it takes to raise catfish in Nigeria, I ask you for who you want to sell it to ?. ( I hope you understand better now). If you want to raise them for smoking size, that will take about three months. For pepper soup joints, that will take about 4 months. And for table size, that will take 5 months. For interstate buyers, that will take 8 months to 1 year. And there! That’s how long does it take to rear catfish in Nigeria.
If you are just starting your fish farms, I think these are tips you want to look at.
If you want to learn how to pick the best juveniles and fingerlings stock, you should read this.
My name is Akinfish. .
You can also watch this video where I explain how to start your fish farm properly.
I wish you all the best in your fish farm venture.
Cheers!
well i’m trianing a catfish and i want to know how many months it will take for it to grow
I am sure this article has helped you !
cheers
I love to go into fish farming, but I don’t have any experience. kindly help please🙏
You can start with this video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbWaScwxdWw&t=229s
This is useful thanks for the information
As a new starter I found it usefu
You are welcome
Well done. Your message is precise,clear and helpful.
Thank you David.
Wow thank you for the informations I just started fish farming so I’m doing a lot of research about them
All the best Silas. Fish is good business.
I’m already into fish farming but my supplier is not helping, please can you help me with a supplier’s contact?
Hello Chidozie, supplier of what ? Fish, feeds or equipment ?
Very practical, and educative.
Thank you Adeboye.
Good morning..where can I buy fingerling in Lagos lekki Nigeria?
Fish is sold and transported all over Nigeria, and there are even many farms along the Epe axis.
Pls I don’t have a big space in my house but I want to start fish farming canvi start with 20-50 fingerlings in my backyard
Yes you can.
I have a 100litre tank and I have just five juveniles there. Been rearing it for about a month now…. But what is the max number of dishes it can take from juvenile to melange&table size. Thanks
Your 100 litre tank would take just that. 5 fishes. However I dont know how wide the tank is and so the fishes might stop growing after a while.
Thanks alot, I am new in the business, just want to start, I can use ring to start, I will cement it on the ground so it won’t be able to escape. Any advice on it please