Comparative Assessment of Nutrient Composition of Aquacultured and Wild Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Cross Rivers State Nigeria

Aim: Aquafarming of catfish has become very popular in Nigeria recently, raising concerns about the nutritional benefits of this fish to consumers especially when compared to the wild catfish.

Study Design: Fishes were obtained from Calabar Cross Rivers State Nigeria. A total of 30 catfishes were harvested, 15 aquacultured and 15 wild. The fishes weighed between 150 – 200 g at the time of harvest.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the central laboratory of the University of Calabar, Nigeria and lasted for a period of 6 months.

Methodology: Fishes were cleaned and dried under the sun for a period of 14 days. Dried fishes were eventually ground into fine powder which was used for the nutrient analysis. The proximate, mineral and vitamin contents of aquacultured and wild catfish were investigated. The results revealed that aquacultured catfish contained significantly higher amounts of protein than the wild catfish.

Conclusion: While the aquacultured fish may be preferable for children, young adults and pregnant women who require a lot of protein for body-building, growth and development, the wild catfish may be more suitable for the maintenance of general health, water and electrolyte balance and optimum productivity being richer in most minerals.