Files
Abstract
The present study was conducted to know the culture strategies and fish health and disease problems in pond
aquaculture in Mymensingh, Bogra and Pabna districts of Bangladesh. Questionnaire interview and participatory rural
appraisal tools like focus group discussion (FGD) were conducted with selected fish farmers. In total 90 farmers were
interviewed and 9 FGD sessions were conducted. Most of the respondents practiced carp and pangas polyculture
and they had disease problems in their ponds. Prevalence of fish disease varied with cultured species and locations.
The most prevalent diseases as reported by the farmers were pop eye (57.78%), ventral reddening (55.55%), tail and
fin rot (48.89), hemorrhagic lesion over the body surface (45.56%), dropsy (40%), gill rot (40%), white spot (40%) and
epizootic ulcerative syndrome or EUS (33.33%). According to farmers opinion most susceptible species to disease
was silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (57.78%); followed by mrigal, Cirrhinus cirrhosus (50%); catla, Catla
catla (47.78%); sarputi, Barbodes gonionotus (47.78%); rui, Labio rohita (42.22%) and pangas, Pangasianodon
hypophthalmus (42.22%). Higher mortality was found in pangas (53.56%). Clinically, pangas, koi and sarputi were
found severely affected. Most of the farmers used some treatment measures against disease problems. This study
also highlited some fish health management problems in pond aquaculture. Further studies should include
identification and characterization of pathogens involved in different types of diseases in pond aquaculture.