African catfish is one of the fastest-growing fishes in a pond because of its biological traits. The growth curve of an African catfish start off slow but once past that point it really ramps up compared to most pond fish such as carp and even tilapia. There are no exceptions. Social hierarchy, tank design, and water chemistry all play roles besides feed quality. Under best circumstances, an average larva will reach about 5 months before it becomes marketable at a kilogram of fillet.
With a suprabranchial organ, this species is able to breathe directly from atmospheric air. Because of this when dissolved oxygen levels gets low, the African catfish doesn’t panic and go to surface to breathe air. As long as there’s enough food available, you can stock your tanks much more densely then you would gill breathing fish. This makes the species very aggressive in recirculating aquaculture systems where growth rates is maintained even at high stocking densities.
Key Tips for Growing African Catfish
The African catfish’s metabolism also responds to water temperatures. For them the sweet spot range from 26-28 degrees Celsius. Below 22 degrees they don’t have an appetite at all. Above that their stress level go up, making them more likely to get sick. One common mistake new farmers make is assuming the fish aren’t hungry because they stop eating; instead, the water is typicaly simply too cold for enzymes to break down the protein. Adjusting the feed formulation won’t help as much as maintaining consistant water temperature.
These fish have voracious appetites and sharp teeth, which means cannibalism is a big threat. Predation based off size will occur. Larger fish will eats smaller ones. This is why it’s important to grade your African catfish often in the first two weeks. Deadly fighting for rank can occur that results in a 30% loss of your stock. That kills your profit margin.
Thirty percent! Sorting every couple days is a pain but it keeps everyone alive. Keeping them all about the same size mean they’ll all grow at roughly the same rate.
Proper feeding is critical. Fingerling pellet size is not the same as market-size adult food. Protein requirements shifts as they mature. Fingerling food contains high amounts (50%) of protein for bone formation; later, feed less protein, more fat for energy as fish bulk up. Here is the breakdown on feeding transitions. Failing to change the feed hurts water quality and wastes money because uneaten, cheap pellets rots in the tank.
In an intensive system, African catfish are dominant due to their ability to adapt to warmer temperatures and to tolerate dirtier conditions different than salmon or trout. In a temperate climate, they also outgrow channel catfish while converting feed more effective than tilapia. Efficient feed conversion will reduce the cost of production per kilogram of meat. With tight feed conversion ratios and low mortality, the return on investment are large. It’s a velocity and volume system.
African catfish are great for aquaculture systems. But once they start to grow you have to keep your environment right to support their growth. Feed them at appropriate stages. Keep the fish of same size together. Manage the temperature. Get the right mix of those three things and you can’t deny that they will grow.
However, the chart above represent the potential; daily management reveals it. Control the water, control the temperature, start small and manage the fish’s social dynamics by grading them. Do this and soon larvae becomes a worthwhile catch.