Status of Aqua Drugs Applied in Freshwater Aquaculture of Moulvibazar District, Bangladesh

Aims: Our study aimed to assess the current situation of accessibility and the use of various chemicals and medicines in freshwater aquaculture.

Methodology: A questionnaire interview survey was conducted among 14 aquaculture farms and 23 aqua chemical retailers.

Results: Due to easy availability, farmers used large quantities of lime and cow dung to prepare ponds and manage water quality. Beside these rotenone, zeolite gold, acme’s zeolite, aqua kleen, urea and TSP (triple super phosphate) are also found. Timsen, polgard-plus, deltix, virex, magic-fos and pond-safe were mostly used as a disinfectant. Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS) disease was found predominantly in the farmer's pond. For disease treatment, renamycine soluble powder (oxy tetracycline) was used, 32% farmers. Two oxygen suppliers oxy gold and oxy life were used to increase oxygen concentration. Among 11 types of growth promoters were found in chemical shops in which charger gel and rapid grow were mostly used. Most farmers use gas trap and gasonex plus as gas reducer.

Conclusions: There are mostly six categories of 48 aqua drugs and chemicals are observed and treated for health monitoring of fish and shellfish. Due to lack of knowledge concerning the proper dosage and procedure of using chemicals, technique of application and indiscriminate practice of chemicals etc. are common problems of aqua drugs in Moulvibazar district.