Sudden incursion of a predator fish in Bangladesh’s water is now a matter of thinking. Also threatening the aquatic ecology and native fish species. Suckermouth catfish or the common pleco is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the armored catfish family (Loricariidae) is the largest family of catfish (order Siluriformes), with 92 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. Specially recognized for bony plates covering their bodies and their suckermouths. Suckermouth catfish are of little (less than 30%) or no value as food fish. This omnivorous species feeds on algae, aquatic plants, small crustacean and small fishes. But now it is a threat for native fish and aquatic ecology as they breed in high range and spread day by day.
until now there are three types of sucker mouth catfish found in water bodies across the country.
· Pterygoplichthys anisitsi (Paraná Sailfin Catfish)
· Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Amazon sailfin catfish)
· Hypostomus plecostomus (the common pleco)
Pterygoplichthys anisitsi has a ventral mouth modified into a sucking disk and a body covered in bony plates. The species typically has a dark and white spotted body pattern, although some individuals are very dark with few spots.
Pterygoplichthys pardalis, this species will grow to a maximum length of 49 centimeters and reach a weight of 310 g. It is sometimes confused with the Hypostomus plecostomus (common Plecostomus). The two species can be distinguished by their number of dorsal rays. P. pardalis has 11–13, while the H. plecostomus has only 5–8 dorsal rays. It is also commonly misidentified as P. disjunctivus and can be differentiated by its spotted patterning. There is an albino color variation of this species, usually referred to as an Albino Plecostomus.
Hypostomus plecostomus, known as a pleco, has gold stripes on its black and uneven body and sharp fin on its back and sides. Has a sucker mouth and sharp teeth on the dorsal side of the body. The less oxygen present in water , the more frequently it surfaces to breathe in air.
Concern:
lake, Dhaka, Bangladesh ©Mapio net
Suckerfish have been found in so many water bodies across the country. Such as the Buriganga and also spotted on the Turaag, the Jamuna, the Meghna, and the Padma rivers and their branches. Also, upon investigation by the government officials, it has been spotted in 5 to 11 spots in Dhaka city alone and various canals of Bogura, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, and Jhinedah. Suckerfish are also often found in only pure Indian Carp breeding field in Bangladesh, Halda river. This is the only river in the world from where fisherman collect fertilized eggs directly (Kibria et al., 2009).
As their reproduction rate is very high, can lay as many as 300 eggs and so many species of fish that is able to breathe air, survive without oxygen for 24 hours straight has now become a threat to other native fishes.
What to do?
As this fish has little or no value as food and has no significant worth to offer as well. Moreover, these have a negative impact not only on Buriganga and other aquatic habitats, but also on the lives of people who catch fish for their living.
The government has nearly banned the suckerfish in the country, terming it a malicious species posing a serious threat to aquatic biodiversity. According to sub-section 2 of section 18 under the act, nobody will be eligible for importing, exporting, cultivating, breeding, transporting, selling, marketing, and conserving the suckerfish. (ref. Prothom Alo)
We should also be so careful about this; we shouldn’t release them in natural aquatic regions. Scientists and researchers should come forward to stop the spreading of this fish in nature. Suckerfish (suckermouth catfish) fry are cultivated by farmers and hatcheries in some places of the country. There should be limitations on the breeding and selling of ornamental fish.