📋 Farm Guide
Nigerian Catfish Disease Detection Checklist
The difference between a farmer who loses 20% of their stock and one who loses 2% is usually not treatment — it is early detection. This checklist, done every morning, catches problems 3–5 days before they become emergencies.
💡 Pro Tip
The best time to do this checklist is during your morning feeding — between 6am and 8am before the day heats up. Fish behaviour at feeding time reveals more about pond health than any water test.
Morning Checklist — Every Day
🐟 Fish Behaviour (2 minutes)
- Are all fish coming to feed? Reduced feeding response is the earliest disease signal
- Are any fish gasping at the surface before feeding time? (Normal after heavy rain but concerning in dry conditions)
- Are any fish swimming erratically — spinning, listing, or hanging at the surface?
- Are any fish isolating in corners instead of schooling with the group?
- Do you see any dead fish on the surface or bottom?
💧 Water Quality (3 minutes)
- What colour is the water? (Dark green = algae bloom, clear = good, brown/grey = high organic load)
- Does the water smell unusual? (Rotten egg smell = hydrogen sulphide, ammonia burn smell = high nitrogen)
- Test pH if possible — target 6.5 to 7.5. Below 6.0 or above 8.5 requires immediate action
- Is there a visible scum or foam layer on the surface? (Excess foam = high organic matter or soap contamination)
🔍 Visual Fish Inspection (3 minutes)
- Scoop 5–10 fish randomly and examine in bright daylight
- Check fins — are they intact, frayed, or rotting?
- Check skin — any lesions, ulcers, white patches, or cotton-wool growth?
- Check gills — open the operculum and check colour (should be bright red)
- Check eyes — are they clear or cloudy/protruding?
- Check abdomen — is it normal or bloated?
Weekly Checks
- Count mortality: Total dead fish for the week. More than 0.5% of stock dying per week requires investigation
- Weigh a sample: Weigh 10–20 fish to track average body weight and FCR progress
- Check feed bag quality: Inspect feed for mould, unusual colour, or smell — mouldy feed causes liver disease
- Inspect pond walls and aerators: Algae build-up on walls is normal. Check aerator stones are not clogged
- Water change assessment: If you have not changed water in 7 days, change 20–30% this week
Early Warning Signs — Act Within 24 Hours
| Warning Sign | What It Means | Immediate Action |
|---|
| Feeding drops by 30%+ | Stress, early disease, water quality problem | Water change + pH check |
| Any fish gasping before feeding | Low dissolved oxygen | Increase aeration + water change |
| 1+ fish with visible lesions | Bacterial or fungal infection beginning | Salt treatment + isolate affected fish |
| 3+ mortalities in one day | Active disease outbreak | Full treatment protocol |
| pH below 6.5 | Acid stress | Lime treatment 20–30g/m³ |
| Cloudy white water | Bacterial bloom | 50% water change |
Log Everything — Every Day
The checklist only works if you record what you find. A written record of feeding response, mortality, and water conditions lets you see trends before they become crises. When mortality jumps from 2 per day to 15 per day, knowing it started 4 days ago helps you narrow the cause.
📱 Log your checklist in MyFishDoc
MyFishDoc logs your daily feed, mortality, pH and notes — and shows you trend graphs so you see problems developing over days, not after disaster strikes.
Start Logging Free — 3 Days
IF
Ifeoma Fine Ukpabi, MBAFounder, MyFishDoc Limited