How to Start a Catfish Farming Business

GET PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT CATFISH FARMING: Due to a VERY BUSY schedule, I haven’t been able to update the series on catfish farming or respond to comments, but I have something better for you; you can learn directly from my teacher, who has recorded up to 120% profit in 6 months. Visit Profitable Fish Farming to learn directly from him!

By principle, I rarely venture into businesses that do not have a high profit margin; I’m talking at least 50% or more within 6 months to 1 year, depending on how big my investment is.

Whenever new business ideas are introduced to me, I make it clear that unless I can have a 100% profit margin within a reasonable period, I won’t get into that business.

I’ve been a commercial catfish farmer for over a year now, and it is one highly profitable business; having a 50% profit margin within a span of 6 months is normal, if you do things right, and having a profit margin of 150%+ within this same period is not unusual.

That said, there is a right and wrong way to go about catfish farming.

The fact is that a lot of catfish farmers remain unprofitable because they are doing things the wrong way. I want to put a stop to that.

I’m starting a new series that will be published on this blog over the next few weeks; the series is aimed at helping you start a successful commercial catfish farm with significant profit margins.

This isn’t based on theory, but is based on my experience running a successful commercial fish farm on a 1-acre piece of land in Aloba, Bakatari, Nigeria.

Bamidele at farm

Bamidele at his farm

My fish farm is still small, and I’ll gradually be expanding it over the years; my issue now is scaling, and it’s something I’m working on. However, I believe you can still succeed by following my principles on a much smaller or larger scale.

This page will be constantly updated with links to articles in this series as soon as they are published, and my hope is that you are well set to be a successful fish farmer in a few weeks.

catfishes feeding

My 2 and a half months catfishes being fed

So, here’s a quick outline of what will be included in this series; I want to make it a complete series on starting a catfish farming business, and I’ll be adding more topics to this outline, and working on them, as I get more ideas.

So, here are the topics I’ll be covering in this series over time:

1. Essential Facts About Catfish Farming as a Business Model

Exactly how profitable is catfish farming as a business model, and why is this such a great business idea?

This article dives into data and statistics from the US, the UK and Nigeria, to give you an idea of how big the catfish farming industry is and to let you know why you’ll forever be profitable if you start a catfish business (hint: you can hardly go wrong if your business is centered around food).

2. Requirements for Starting a Catfish Farm

This article will be talking about what is required to start a catfish farm; I’ll try to be as specific and practical as possible, so that information provided will be relevant to you irrespective of the projected size of your farm.

3. Catfish Farming Step 1: Preparing Your Pond

What is the right type/size of pond for catfish farming, and how many catfishes should be in an ideal pond?

This articles goes into the several different factors you should consider when stocking your pond.

4. Catfish Farming Step 2: Stocking Your Pond

What types of catfish should you stock in your pond, and what are the factors you should consider when stocking your pond? I address this and more in this article.

5. Catfish Farming Step 3: Feeding Your Fishes

Often, the difference between a catfish weighing 400 grams or 2 kg within six months has to do with feeding.

Feed make up, feeding cycle, feed quantity and quality are some of the factors you should consider when feeding your catfishes; in this article, I share how I go about feeding my catfishes to ensure optimal performance.

6. 6 Essential Rules for Catfish Farming Business Success

Do you know that it takes approximately 18 – 24 months to farm and grow catfishes that will reach around 1lb in the US? Do you know that it takes approximately 2 – 3 months to achieve similar results in Nigeria?

While there are a few things different about fish farming depending on what country you are in, there are some universal rules you must NEVER break. They call them “rules” for a reason!

This article shares 6 essential rules you must follow to succeed in the catfish farming business.

Stay tuned!

I’ll be updating this page with more information about the articles and links to the respective articles as soon as they go live.

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Catfish Farming Step 3: Feeding Your Fishes

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6 Essential Rules for Catfish Farming Business Success

27 Comments

  1. Hi Bamidele,

    I’ve just bookmarked this page and I’ll be checking it from time to time to know when you update the series.

    With the way lots of people are going into fish farming in Nigeria, dont you think a time will come when there will be high competition and that will reduce the profit margin? I mean a situation whereby the supply is damn high than the demand for it?

    • Thanks bro!

      Actually, I don’t think we will have to worry about competition for two reasons:

      1. Not everybody succeeds at this business. More people fail than succeed because they don’t know how to go about fish farming the right way.
      2. Every year, at least 2.4x more people are born than die. This alone shows demand for food, and as a result fish, will continue to increase with the world population. This provides massive advantage regardless of the competition.

      That said, I believe the fish farm industry is highly undeserved in Nigeria. So, we at least need 10 times as many people doing this to worry about serious competition; even if that happens, significant daily/annual population increase will still negate any serious consequences.

      That’s how it is mainly with food.

      • Dear Bamidele,
        You are doing a great job. By doing this, you don’t know that you are inspiring lots of young people in the developing countries. I am thanking you on behalf of them.

        Best wishes,
        Erich.

  2. Muzi Mohale

    I’ll be following this series with interest…want to see if could try my hand at fish farming using Jojo Tanks (plastic water tanks) 5,000litres. May you also invite farmers doing successfully in piggery and rabbitry…especially backyard farmers who reap rewards with small spaces. In Vietman I see backyard piggeries are huge and not sure how big that industry is in Nigeria.

    • Thanks, Muzi.

      I had been planning this series for awhile but your comment on Facebook made me work on it faster.

      I prefer and recommend having “natural” ponds in a swampy/water area, but I’ve seen people get great results with tanks; I believe JoJo tanks will work perfectly fine.

      I’ll definitely be looking more into piggery and rabbit farming; I’ve heard great things about pig farming and might venture into it sometime in the future – not very soon, though, I’m sure.

      I’ll do my best to get a lot of experts here to share their knowledge with us 🙂

  3. Hello Bamidele!

    I’m in on this series. I’ve long had interest in catfish farming but never had the time or seriousness to research it well and venture into it. But now that I’ve had some successes in online businesses, diversifying into offline businesses is prominent on my radar.

    I like your point on selling food. Everybody needs you to survive that way. 😉

    • Thanks for the comment, bro!

      Catfish farming is one very interesting business model, and it has the highest profit of all offline business models I currently know of if one get it right; 50 – 100+% profit in 6 months is nothing to sniff at.

      I’m glad you’re enjoying the series.

  4. Dan

    This Is An Eye Opener.
    If You Ever Said There Is Unemployment Everywhere, Think Again.

    Good Work Bamidele!

  5. pz

    This is great! I have bn researching info online on this topic but I ve nt come across a very concise and loaded info like this. Great job. I jst started catfish farming too but am using concrete pond…I ll like to talk with u on this if u ll pls send me ur mail addr. Thanks.

  6. funmi

    Helli
    Your article is very inspiring and encouraging. I have just ventured into fish farming but I had to employ somebody who knows about cat fish farming to manage it fir me
    I am very interested in this book, so pls keep me posted when it is ready

  7. Adeshina oke

    Good day,

    I just came up with an Idea of catfish farming and it interest me amount of profit I can make in 6 months. Am starting this week and I will be glad if I can get mentorship from some one that has been in this business. You can reach me on {removed by admin}

  8. fredrick lgbodo

    You are doing a great job.I am a baby catfish farmer,just started with 500 juvenile in concrete pond, many have died ,others are growing fast while some stunt not growing at all. You are an inspiration to those who have interest in catfish farming.I will appreciate if you can link me up with a good and reliable farmer in port Harcourt where i can get juvenile and any related advise.

  9. I’ll be following this series with
    interest…want to see if could try
    my hand at fish farming using
    Jojo Tanks (plastic water tanks)
    8,000litres.so pls how can I get high quality fish feed in a Cheaper way.

  10. Ofomiyuaju Emmanuel

    I have been using tarpaulin ponds, and been successful. Have been able to achieve 1kg in 4 months. Secret also lies in getting good stock to start with and good water PH too very important.

    • Bamidele, KF

      Hi Emmanuel,
      Please, can you give me an idea of where to get Tarpaulin, the type, idea of much and how it is sold.

      Thank you and God bless

  11. Esther Alegbe

    Esther
    This is great! I want to started catfish farming too but I am using plastic tank…I ll like to talk with u on this and also visit your site if u ll pls send me your mail and site addr. Thanks.
    17th December 2015

  12. OLAGOKE TESLEEM SHEYE

    hello
    pls i ll like to go into cat fish farming but don’t have the basic ideaology
    can you be my tutor

  13. ogunbiyi olubunmi

    pls i love this ur article very inspiring,i want to start with concrete pond at d back of my house ,will it work?or i should dig a pound,which one is preferable

  14. Peter

    Good job. Am also intrested in catfish farming. Am glad to stumble on ur article.

  15. faith ojo afolabi

    I need to know how much money it will cost for me to start a fish farming

  16. Bamidele, KF

    Bamidele,
    You are a great man. What a golden heart of a giver you have. That’s what make you great and will distinguish you still. I just wanted to learn a little thing about cat fish farming and I google it. As usual, everything “catfish in Nigeria” is for sale. Only God knows the quality of what they all have in offer that they want people to pay their account for before they send you the info. Foreign documents are all over there, and for free.

    When I saw yours and its Nigerian and so nice, I almost didn’t open the subtitles because I thought it’ll lead to a page asking for payment. However, when I did and saw the quality of the information you have in there; I said well….a Nigerian with a giving hearth a last.

    May the Lord bless you and your vision. You’ll reach you goal and success in Jesus name. I just want to appreciate you for the publication.

    Thank you.

  17. Auwalu Kawu

    Dear Bamidele

    I’m impressed my sincere commendation to you and all cat fish farmers

  18. Mercy

    Thanks Bamidele,

    Please I seriously need your advice, am trying to start fish business for my mum with little capital.
    Pls can I reach via mobile
    Mercy Akachukwu
    {Number removed by admin}. Not from Admin to commenters: Please avoid including your number/contact information in comments section of blogs. Scammers could easily access this information, and only you will be responsible for the aftermath.

  19. yemi

    Pls! Where can I get a plastic tank?

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