Fish Farming Business Full Details

Why do you think many fish farmers fail ? I think it is because they did not do their research to master the fish farming business full details. How can you successfully start a fish farm in Nigeria in 2026.

Did you know that it pays you to have many small ponds than to have one very big pond?

Here, I share on the full details of a fish farming business. As a successful fish farmer with over 15 years of experience, I offer you this things to consider.

The big statement is that we get fingerlings or juveniles (baby fishes). We raise them in earthen ponds or tanks or tarpaulin ponds, we feed them and make sure their environment (water) is clean, we sell them when they are big enough for our market.

Now lets break that big statement into 7 things you should consider.

1. Secure your water.

Water is one of the 3 most important things in fish farming.

It is called Aquaculture for a reason. Fish farming is also called aquaculture which means growing something inside water. So water is the first and most important thing for you to consider. Just as God did not design a human being to be buying oxygen to breathe is how God did not design fish to suffer for water.

Water should always be readily available. How would you start a fish farm in Nigeria in 2026 and not first think of water ?

If you have a borehole, or a good well or a land that has a stream or water way on it – en en ! There is business potential, come closer , lets talk.

2. Secure Knowledge. Please don’t belittle training or mentorship

Why should you make the mistake other people have made ? Why should you fail where other people have failed ? 

You don’t have to. You can learn from someone. Find a fish farmer in your area to show you the way.

Learn the numbers and adjustments that make a successful fish farm. Know what kind of feeds to use, understand what FCR (feed conversion ratio) means, know what kind of fish to raise and what size to raise it to that your market wants.

This is 2026, most fish farmers, like myself have a online mentorship structure to walk with you and guide you till harvest as you learn the ropes. Please find a way to learn properly before starting that fish farm project.

3. Innovation: What is your advantage?

After getting knowledge, you would have learnt how to adjust or customize a few things based on what you have learnt and your own location and situation where you want to farm.

Everybody has an advantage, what is your own? Please know that every farm can be in the same industry yet every farms business can be different.

As you are coming into the fish industry, what is your comparative advantage? This is part of the full fish farming business details to consider.

Is it that you are closer to your consumers so you can serve them better and fresher fish? Can you use Solar to power your pumping machines rather than a fuel-powered generator? That would save you money and make you more profit!

Can you raise Tilapia instead and feed them with Wolfia or Azolla? Do you have space to setup a Black Soldier Fly Facility on your farm?

Do you have anybody in the diaspora that can help you if I show you how to export your fish ?

4. Explore and secure your market ; notice that I said ‘your’ market and not ‘the’ market.

Because everybodys market is different. Do you want to sell to peppersoup sellers or export your fish ? Do you want to sell smoked fish or do you want to have a barbecue outlet? Different approach needs different expenses, brings different profits and has different risks. If I am starting a fish farm in Nigeria in 2026 , I would realise that:

To export your fish, you might need NAFDAC or SON certificates.

If your farm is inside the bush or not close to town, you might need a bus or some logistics arrangement to move the fish to your customers.

How much does it cost to raise 1 fish to 1kg ? How much would you sell it ?

Please, as you are starting a fish farm in 2026, factor in fish processing. This is also called dried fish or smoked fish. Smoked fish brings more profit. It increases your profit by about 13 percent.

You would need a fish smoking kiln, some materials such as sealing machine and Nafdac grade nylons and you are good to go!

Start small and let the farm grow.

5. What type of Ponds should you use ?

There are different fish pond types and they best suit different fish farming activities.

People use tanks, earthen ponds, fiberglass setups, concrete ponds, mobile fish ponds, and recirculatory systems. This is a very important part of the full fish farming business details to consider.

Fiberglass setups and recirculatory systems are usually best for fish hatching and the creation of juveniles and fingerlings.

Mobile ponds, Concrete ponds, and Tanks are best for mélange and smoking-sized fish.

Earthen ponds are best for table size fishes and broodstock.

When starting a fish farm in 2026, make sure you know your stocking density.

You should know the exact number of fish to that each pond can take. Overstocking means your fish wont grow well, understocking means you aren’t maximizing your space.

Have you heard of the L*b*h*5/3 formula ?

A 10*10*4ft mobile pond would take about 800 fish. The smallest earthen pond you should do for growing out fishes should be 30ft*30ft depending on water availability. That can take about 500 fish.

6. The Administration of Agriculture

The truth friends is that there is a lot of non-technical issues in and around our environment that can either be support or hindrance to starting your fish farm in 2026.

The right staff or unproperly trained staff can make or mar your business. There are government policies, grant and loan applications, that can be an addition or a blessing to your farm.

I like to put accountability structures when doing business. We must know our numbers.

I trust you as my brother o, but let’s just have proper record-taking for accountability’s sake so that we can show our records to people that can give us a loan or grant.

7. The almighty Fish FEED issue

See how I left fish feed to the end ?

Because if you follow my guidelines to start a successful fish farm in Nigeria in 2026, your only major expense on the farm should be feed ( that is the majority of your running cost). Fish feed should be about 70% of the expense on a well-set-up fish farm.

If you set up your fish farm properly then you should have feed expense, water change, cost of fingerlings and juvenile, and cost of labor (staff salary) as your topmost expense in your fish farm.

In this page, I advise people on the best fish feed to use.

Now I know that you have heard that you can make your own feed, it is true.

However, between me and you – if you are raising less than 6000 fish , don’t bother with the wahala of making your own feed. But if you are raising more than 6000 fish , yes, you may consider it if we have the capital muscle required.

There are good and economic fish feeds available right now. You can use either imported fish feeds like Skretting and Coppens or made in Nigeria feeds like Vital, Top, Bluecrown or Ecofloat feeds.

Finally,

Yes, I think I have shared enough to have inspired you to start that fish farm business properly. Fish Business is good business.

Please let me know your location where you reading this article from in the comment section. If it helped you in any way feel free to drop a comment as well. I would appreciate it.

If you want me to teach you and guide you as you start your fish farm in 2026, You can reach me directly on whatsapp here +2348161385163.

Finally, here is a gift for you for reading thus far.

Here is a video I taught on how much Profit you may potentially make from 1000 fish.

Cheers,

Your Fish Farming Mentor,

Akin “Akinfish’ Showemimo

Talk to Akinfish on Whatsapp +2348161385163 here