Pabda

Pabda fish is a  freshwater fish species. It is very tasty and has high nutrition value. So it has a great demand and high value in the market. Pabda fishes can be found mainly in the pond, swamp, paddy field etc. They are one type of catfish. They generally live in clean freshwater.

Pabda fishes are available in the Asian countries, especially found largely  in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and some other south Asian countries. Classification, physical characteristics, feed habit and breeding of this fish are described below.

Classification of Pabda Fish

Classification of the Pabda fish is described below.

• Kingdom             :       Animalia
• Phylum               :       Chordata
• Class                  :       Actinopterygii
• Order                  :       Siluriformes
• Family                :       Siluridae
• Genus                :       Ompok
• Species              :       O. pabda
• Scientific Name           :       Ompok pabda

Physical Characteristics

Pabda fishes are small sized freshwater fish species. The physical characteristics of the Pabda fishes are described below.

• The body of Pabda fishes is flat in both side.
• The caudal side is more narrow than head side.
• Pabda has similarity in look with Boal fish.
• There are no scales in their body.
• Their chest is silver colored.
• There is a pair of mustache in their mouth.
• Has two pairs of fins.
• Pelvic fin lengths from belly to tail.
• Anal fin is divided into two parts.
• There is a fishbone in the pectoral fin of pabda fish.
• Pabda fish lengths between 12 to 30 cm.

Feeding

Pabda fish usually live in the upper level of water. They are omnivorous. They generally eat protozoa, aquatic insects, crustasia, moss etc. But they also like to eat cake and fishmeal as a supplementary feed. Feed them supplementary feed containing 40% rice bran, 30% mastered cake and 30% fishmeal before their breeding period.

Breeding

The breeding period of pabda fish is between May to July. Females lay eggs within this period. These fish generally grow faster.

Conclusion

This low cost pabda breeding technology practiced by the farmer will open the vistas of income generation of the rural youth as well as it may help to provide pabda seed to the fish farmers of the Tripura to enable them to take pabda culture as an alternative means of self employment. This technology can be replicated in other states too, making a major breakthrough in fishery sector of the North east India.