A Brief Overview of the Integrated Fish Farming of Three Commercially Popular Fish Species (Snakehead, Tilapia and Catfish) in Malaysia

Abstract

Aquaculture industry in Malaysia involves culture of many fish species of either fresh or brackish water origin and among the important fish species are Snakehead, Tilapia and Catfish.  There is a substantial culture of these fish in Malaysia nowadays, though there are not one hundred percent native fish species but their presence in Malaysia is getting closer to over several decades and for almost a decade now, these species had been among the highest finfish produced in either fresh or brackish waters. As the global aquaculture production continue growing in order to meet up with ever increasing fish demand, especially as fish from capture has levelled off and makes an increase in aquaculture production as the only hope to meet the demand for fish, one of suggested ways in culturing them is by venturing into integrated fish farming. Integrated fish farming of different species is a practice which links together two or more normally separate farming systems, whereby the fish from different species become subsystems of a whole farming system. Although integrated fish farming may not be huge globally based on the available official statistical data but it is becoming important industry in Malaysia and neighboring countries. This review discussed briefly about the integrated fish farming of three commercially popular species (Snakehead, Tilapia and Catfish) in Malaysia and neighboring countries.