Blackchin tilapia roe cannot live without water for 2 months: Bancha
Fisheries Department chief rejects reports of alien fish eggs surviving without water and hatching as fake
The Fisheries Department chief on Wednesday dismissed widely-shared reports among social networkers that blackchin tilapia roe can survive and hatch even after being dried for two months.
A report on a Samut Songkhram prawn farmer recently went viral, in which he was quoted as saying that even though he dried his pond for two months to kill off the alien fish, newly hatched blackchin tilapia showed up shortly after he refilled it. Hence, he concluded, the roe of this alien fish can survive two months without water and can hatch as soon as they get wet.
Bancha Sukkaew, director-general of the Fisheries Department, however, dismissed the theory and suggested that the young fish would have come in with the water when the farmer was filling his pond.
He explained that the roe of blackchin tilapia are kept in the mouths of the male fish as they need oxygen and dampness to survive and hatch.
Bancha added that once the male fish dies, the roe in its mouth can only survive 10 to 15 minutes longer. If the roe is removed and placed in water, they will remain viable for about an hour before dying unless returned to a male fish’s mouth.
Hence, he said, the roe of blackchin tilapia cannot survive without water for two months as suspected.
Bancha added that his department was now purchasing blackchin tilapia for 15 baht per kilo at purchase points in 16 provinces where the infestation of the alien fish is severe.
He advised fishermen and villagers to catch and take this fish to the nearest sale point, adding that they should be kept out of the water so they can die.
He also said that if fishermen and farmers use blackchin tilapia to feed their farm animals, they should ensure the fish has died and has no roe in its mouth. Bancha also advised fish breeders to dry their ponds and use tea waste or lime to spread on the bottom of the pond for several days before letting in fresh water.
He added that the water must be filtered properly to ensure there is no blackchin tilapia or roe to contaminate the pond again.
