Philippine Normal University

The National Center for Teacher Education

South-Luzon Campus
Technology and Livelihood Education Hub
Lopez, Quezon

RESEARCH PAPER

CAT FISH

In partial
Fulfillment
In
Fish Production and Processing
(STLE-15)

Proponents:

Rosalie Mae S. Capucion

Benjamin E. Pera
Jessica P. Zarsuelo
Ellaine B. Panida
Juwan P. De Castro
BTLE II-JHS

Submitted to:
Professor
 I. INTRODUCTION

Fish production and processing involves the implementation and application of best management practices
including the importance of rearing commercial fishes. The objective of this, was not only to produce fish and
supply it to the market but also to know the specific origin of fishes, the importance in the commercial
production, the biological aspect of each specie as well as the different factors to consider in rearing commercial
fish. It is important to distinguish and identify the different characteristics and provide an appropriate
management, practices and application. Therefore, the scope of fish production and processing was to increase
the contribution in the economic criteria and have a sustainable consumption and satisfaction.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This study covers the management and practices of rearing catfish. There are 36 species
identified but 6 species were only introduced most commonly. Channel catfish was one of the most abundant
specie of a catfish..A catfish are commonly seen in North America. Biologically, we can identify their external
as well as their internal anatomy. Their sizes were recorded and the sex and reproductive stage identified.
Catfishes vary from their respective habitat such as lake, rivers, brackish water and saline water. Catfish are
omnivores and nocturnal foragers which leads to different feeding habits, types of feeding rate, feeding
frequency and types of food to provide. There are factors to be consider in rearing catfish includes the
temperature tolerance and salinity tolerance. Lastly, the importance of commercial production of catfish may
increase the economic status and performance as well as provide satisfaction and it gives an opportunity in
contributing works to the individual.
 III. THE LIFE HISTORY

A. THE ORIGIN OF THE CAT FISH

Are native in Mid-west and Eastern North America extending from Canada to Mexico.
Since then,catfishhave been widely introduced noth only in the US but throughout the world.
There are 36 species of catfishin North America but only 6have been cultured for commercial
production.
1. CHANNEL CATFISH (Ictalurus Punctatus)
2. BLUE CATFISH (Ictalurus Furcatus)
3. WHITE CATFISH (Ictalurus Catus)
4. BLACK BULLHEAD (Ictalurus Melas)
5. BROWN BULLHEAD (Ictalurus Nebulosus)
6. YELLOW BULLHEAD (Ictalurus Natalis)

B. THE BIOLOGY OF THE CAT FISH

External Characteristics

has a body that is cylindrical in cross-section and

lack scales.

Fins- soft rayed except for the doral and pectoral fins which have sharp. hard spines that can inflict a
nasty painful wound if handled carelessly. are appendages used by the fish to maintain its position,
move, steer and stop.

Adipose fin- (lacking rays) are located on back between the dorsal and caudal fins.

Barbels around the root conspicuous characteristics of all catfish and arranged in different pattern.

Operculum- is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the gills. The rear edge of the operculum
roughly marks the division between the head and the body.

Anal fin- located near the caudal fin or tail.

Caudal fin- or tail located at the end of the caudal peduncle and is used for propulsion.

Pelvic fin- is a soft, fleshy fin found on the back behind the dorsal fin and just forward of the caudal fin
Their color is dictated by the color of the water they inhabit. In clear water they may appear almost
black In muddy water they may be a light yellow
 Internal Characteristics

Spine: The primary structural framework upon which the fish's body is built; connects to the skull at the
front of the fish and to the tail at the rear. The spine is made up of numerous vertebrae, which are hollow
and house and protect the delicate spinal cord.
Spinal cord: Connects the brain to the rest of the body and relays sensory information from the body to
the brain, as well as instructions from the brain to the rest of the body
Brain: The control center of the fish, where both automatic functions (such as respiration) and higher
behaviors ("should I eat that critter with the spinning blades?") Occur. All sensory information is
processed here.
Lateral line: One of the fish's primary sense organs; detects underwater vibrations and is capable of
determining the direction of their source.
Swim (or air) bladder: A hollow, gas-filled balance organ that allows a fish to conserve energy by
maintaining neutral buoyancy (suspending) in water. Fish caught from very deep water sometimes need
to have air released from their swim bladder before they can be released and return to deep water, due to
the difference in atmospheric pressure at the water's surface.
Gills: allow a fish to breathe underwater. These are very delicate structures and should not be touched if
the fish is to be released.
Kidney: filters liquid waste materials from the blood; these wastes are then passed out of the body. The
kidney is also extremely important in regulating water and salt concentrations within the fish's body,
allowing certain fish species to exist in freshwater or saltwater.
Stomach and intestines: break down (digest) food and absorb nutrients.
PYLORIC CAECA: this organ with fingerlike projections is located near the junction of the stomach
and the intestines. Its function is not entirely understood, but it is known to secrete enzymes that aid in
digestion, may function to absorb digested food, or do both.
VENT: the site of waste elimination from the fish's body. It is also the entry to the genital tract where
eggs or sperm are released.
LIVER: this important organ has a number of functions. It assists in digestion by secreting enzymes that
break down fats, and also serves as a storage area for fats and carbohydrates. The liver also is important
in the destruction of old blood cells and in maintaining proper blood chemistry, as well as playing a role
in nitrogen (waste) excretion.
HEART: circulates blood throughout the body. Oxygen and digested nutrients are delivered to the cells
of various organs through the blood, and the blood transports waste products from the cells to the
kidneys and liver for elimination
GONADS (REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS): In adult female bass, the bright orange mass of eggs is
unmistakable during the spawning season, but is still usually identifiable at other times of the year. The
male organs, which produce milt for fertilizing the eggs, are much smaller and white but found in the
same general location. The eggs (or roe) of certain fish are considered a delicacy, as in the case of caviar
from sturgeon.
 MUSCLES: Provide movement and locomotion. This is the part of the fish that is usually eaten, and
composes the fillet of the fish.

IV. THE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE

MATING
Mating conditions
Spring is the catfish mating season. The catfish do
their best mating in warm water. Eggs hatch in
about a week. The best mating conditions occur when
the females are six years old, and weigh more than three
pounds. An eight pound female has the capacity to lay
thousands of eggs. Generally, water temperature and the age of
the female fish are the primary determinants for mating
successfully.

Common breeding styles

The type of insemination that is most common tends to be internal. However, the male catfish may place his
sperm in the oral cavity of the female catfish, and she may also allow the sperm to pass into her digestive
system.

Nurturing
Catfish mate and take care of their young. They do not leave the eggs unattended unless they have hidden
the eggs under rocks. Males often carry the eggs in his mouth until they hatch, and even carry the hatchlings
in his mouth until they are mature enough to venture out.
SPAWNING
Spawning is the process of laying eggs. The male and female catfish build a nest in submerged timber,
weeds or rocks.
Channel catfish spawn when the
Water temperature is between 75
And 85 F (23 to 30 C) with about 80 F (27 C) being optimum.
HATCHING
Incubation of fertilized eggs
The development process from fertilized egg to hatching, like all other biological processes. Fertilized
egg are incubated in a stagnant or running water in troughs containing small trays or boxes. Filled with
clean, well oxygenated water. It depends upon the water temperature; the higher the water temperature
the faster the eggs hatch.

THE FRY
 THE FINGERLINGS
Catfish fingerlings production starts with selecting females brood stock fish. Ideally, brood stock ponder
between 500-1000g, with larger fish being difficult to deal with and often resulting in egg losses ahead
of stripping, but its advisable to make use of large fishes if someone can help in handling. In general,
mature females are selected as outlined by this criteria.
o These represent the seed that must be planted.
o The number stocked depends on your equipment available and quantity and quality of water.
o An initial stocking rate of 4,000 4- to 6-inch fingerlings
o Per acre not to be exceeded and 3,000 to 3,500
o Per acre is preferred to reduce management problems.
o The price of fingerlings varies depending on supply, but you can figure a price of 1 to 2 cents per
inch

V. HABITAT

Habitat in

natural

waters
channel catfish live in moderate to swiftly
flowing streams, but they are also abundant in large reservoirs, lakes, ponds and some sluggish streams.
They are usually found where bottoms are sand, gravel or rubble, in preference to mud bottoms. They
are seldom found in dense aquatic weeds. Channel catfish are freshwater fish but they can thrive in
brackish water.
Channel catfish generally prefer clear water streams, but are common and do well in muddy water.
During the day they are usually found in deep holes wherever the protection of logs and rocks can be
found.
Most movement and feeding activity occurs at night just after sunset and just before sunrise. Young
channel catfish frequently feed in shallow riffle areas while the adults seem to feed in deeper water
immediately downstream from sand bars. Adults rarely move much from one area to another and are
rather sedentary, while young fish tend to move about much more extensively, particularly at night when
feeding
 VI. FEEDING HABITS
READNING RATES
Catfish should be fed daily as much as they will eat without wasting feed and without hurting water
quality.
Feeding rates should not be more than what the fish in the pond need. Long-term average daily
feeding rates should not be more than about 120 to 150 pounds per acre.
Feeding what the fish will eat is especially important when you raise catfish in a multiple-batch
cropping system where there are several sizes of fish in the pond, because it is easier for the smaller,
less aggressive fish to feed. This type of feeding may be a problem, though, since you might not
know when the fish have eaten all they will eat. Thus, it is easy to overfeed, which wastes feed and
may hurt water quality.

FEEDING FREQUENCY
o Once vs. Twice daily generally, feeding once daily is satisfactory for food fish grow out.
o Once daily vs. Once every other day or third day although we recommend that catfish grown
for food be fed once daily, feeding less frequently than daily may be called for under certain
circumstances.
o Seven days vs. Five or six days per week during the growing season, most catfish producers feed
their
o fish seven days a week, but some producers feed six days a week.

TYPES OF FOOD

Aquatic food-No matter what the species of catfish is, they can consume the following aquatic food:
aquatic plants, other fish, decaying vegetation, fish eggs and crayfish as well as snails, aquatic bugs
and minnows. The diet is varied in the water and they can eat a lot, growing to a very big size
depending on where they live.

Carrion and crayfish-Catfish are also carrion eaters eating many types of dead things that come into
the river or pond. They can eat carrion such as dead fish, dead bugs, or anything else that is dead
quite handily. There is quite an advantage to being a bottom feeder.

Worms and leeches-Part of the diet will include leeches and worms. They have an excellent sense of
smell and their whiskers can help them to find the food that they are looking for. Feeding at night
helps keep predators away, and also means that many of the catfishs prey animals will be asleep or
dormant.

Main diet-The main diet of a catfish consists of insects, small fish and vegetation. However, once the
adult stage is reached, then they will go more into a fish mode if they are a specific species such as
the flathead catfish. This species can eat other catfish as well as bass. So it will be very dependent on
the species and where it lives in order to determine the diet of a catfish. Some will have more access
to food than others.

VII. TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE

o Warm water fishes can grow in temperature between 25-32 degree Celsius.
o But channel catfish grew best in temperature 27-31 degree Celsius.
o Hybrid catfish had the highest survival rates, had more consistent growth between
temperature ranges; highest weight gain at 32-36 degree Celsius.

VIII. SALINITY TOLERANCE

o Salinity tolerance of flathead catfish exposed to NaCl (sodium chloride) and synthetic
seawater 0-34 percent. Catfish that that transferred from freshwater at 18 degree celsius with
the salinity of 8, 11, or 14.
o In synthetic seawater with the salinity of 8 or 11.
o Nitrite- temperature have the potential of affecting the productivity of channel catfish.
o Fresh water catfish would not grow at in salinities of over 1.5 ppt, the lethal salinity of fresh
water catfish was 14%.
o Upper limits of salinity tolerance were 11 ppt for channel catfish.
o The higher tolerance in salinity environment , increases its threats as a biological invaders
o PTERYGOPLICHTHYS (Catfish)
 can be able to tolerate high salinities exposed at 12g/l estimated to survive up to
almost three days and have the strong chance of survival at salinities of up to 10g/l.

IX. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

o Catfish are easy to farm in warm climates, leading to inexpensive and safe food at local
grocers.
o In Asia, many catfish species are important as food. Catfish is eaten in a variety ways.
o Many species of fish are farm produced all over the world, but catfish is taking the lead
because of its uniqueness.
o The demand for catfish is unprecedented so much so that no matter the quantity supplied into
the market, it would be consumed by ready buyers. This is so because of its low caloric
value, low carbohydrate content, high in protein, low in fat, high in vitamin D it is quick and
easy to prepare and above all, it tastes great.
o Given that catfish are the most important cultured fish in the us, commercial production and
sale of farm raised catfish became widespread in Southern United States in 1960.
o About 60% of U.S farm raised catfish are grown within a 65-mile (100 km) radius of
Belzoni, Mississippi.
o Catfish production is important because it serves as source of income , reduces the rate of
unemployment in the economy and increases the GDP.

X. REFERENCES

Catfish biology and identification: Minnesota DNR. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/catfish/biology.html

Catfish biology and identification: Minnesota DNR. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/catfish/biology.html

Feeding of catfish. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/fish/international/uganda/docs/catfish%20manualchapters/Chapter6_Feeds%20and
%20Feeding%20the%20Fish.pdf

Aquaculture. (2007, July 3). Retrieved from

http://183.91.33.45/nhjy.hzau.edu.cn/kech/ssyy/pdf/tempreture/24.pdf

Cat fish growth. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/Catfish_Growth_EQ.pdf

Cat fish in brackish water. (1999, February 4). Retrieved from

 http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/publication/34562-growing-catfish-brackish-water-
ponds/avault_et_al._196h9-_growing_catfish_in_brackish-water_ponds.pdf

Catfish biology and identification: Minnesota DNR. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/catfish/biology.html

Catfish biology and identification: Minnesota DNR. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/catfish/biology.html

Economic significance of catfish. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/fish/wp-
content/uploads/formidable/Umali_Gloria_23.pdf

Economical analysis of catfish. (2001, October 10). Retrieved from

http://www.resjournals.org/JAFS/PDF/2013/July/Adebayo_et_al.pdf\
feeds and feeding catfish. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/fish/international/uganda/docs/catfish%20manualchapters/Chapter6_Feeds%20and
%20Feeding%20the%20Fish.pdf

Mortality of cat fish. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://docsdrive.com/pdfs/medwelljournals/jfish/2011/71-74.pdf

Requirement for channel cat fish hatcheries. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://fisheries.tamu.edu/files/2013/09/SRAC-Publication-No.-461-Water-Quantity-and-Quality-Requirements-
for-Channel-Catfish-Hatcheries.pdf

Salinity tolerance. (2004, December 18). Retrieved from

http://philjournalsci.dost.gov.ph/vol142no1/pdf/Salinity%20Tolerance%20of%20South%20American
%20Catfishes.pdf

spawning habitat. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.rufford.org/files/International%20Journal%20of%20Fisheries%20and%20Aquatic%20Studies
%202015;%202(3)%20128-138.pdf

Temperature tolerance of cat fish. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250019437_Temperature_Tolerance_of_Nitrite-
Exposed_Channel_Catfish.pdf