The fish farming revolution in Trishal began with pangas, and now pangas farmers are in trouble. Brothers Titu and Mithu farm pangas with mixed fish in seven ponds on seven acres and are making a profit, but they are at their wits' end over the dangerous spread of sucker fish.

Even after draining a pond, they cannot get rid of sucker fish. The foreign fish enter the mouths of catla and leave them bleeding. The report calls for government action to control sucker fish.

Alongside the fish, they keep 500 ducks on platforms above the ponds, farm beetle larvae and feed snails brought from the haors of Netrokona. Together these form a remarkable strategy for reducing commercial feed costs. The report compares growth on commercial feed with integrated culture and explains duck-cum-fish technology, duck feed management, the use of natural feed and how beetle larvae are raised.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Hridoye Mati O Manush. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.