Where to buy fingerlings.

 Without prejudice and based on the ‘hard experience’ of some past participants, other farmers who approached us I will advise you to buy from our farm and we can always produce the appropriate size and age to fit your expectation and budget. I will rather still advise to note the following information concerning your choice of fingerlings and producer.

1.     Never buy from the wild as the odds are highly against you buying the right type of fish. You likely end up with other sub species of Clarias most especially Clarias submarginatus who might never grow past 186mm size while Clarias lazara can grow to one meter length and weigh seven kilogram.

2.     Take from your stock: This is an assured option for those who are in to fingerling production and hatchery management.

3.     Watch out for:

a.     Specie Identification: This is a close cousin of Clarias Lazara called Heterobranchus see fig 5 for detail of their difference.

Also, a cross of the two species called Heteroclarias is sometimes available in the market. If you have to stock a particular pond, make sure it is from the same set of parent or peculiar sub-specie.

b.     Age of the fingerlings: Craftily confirm the age of the fingerlings from the producer – a six weeks fish should be 2 inches long. But a four week old fish about 11/12 inches are acceptable.

c.      Quality of the parents: There are types of parents of Clarias presently in the country, based on their disposition and their producer care.

d.     : Go to place where you can see things for yourself before you part with your hard earned money. Please take notices of this.

e.     Size of the fish at purchase: Do not be deceived by low priced or else, the small size of the fish baby will bear your money witness on the day of delivery.

a.      Disposition of the breeder

The truth is that you need to meditate on all the alternatives before going out to buy fingerlings and seek further counsel in our consult unit so as to know what suits your facility best.

b.     Transportation: Be sure that the packaging for your fish is in oxygen bags placed inside double corrugated carton for long journeys (you will pay a token fee for these services.) or you can use a fifty litres container or 25 litre container that has to be cut or perforated at the top so that atmospheric oxygen can enter the container which is also a good method or modules operandi of transporting fish from one location to another.