Integrated Production of Asian Catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis Bloch) and Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum Linden & André): A Promising Aquaponics System

Abstract

The integrated production of fish with water-borne plants (hydroponics) is one of the most promising aquaculture (known as “aquaponics”) systems that is embraced around the world. Therefore, a study was conducted in triplicate for a period of forty days using 20L plastic containers to observe the growth performance of catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) and money plants (Epipremnum aureus) in an aquaponics treatment system (hereafter “T1”), and these results were compared with a monoculture of fish (T2) and plants (T3) in other treatments. Almost equal-sized and -aged juvenile catfish (total length: F1, 38 = 1.66, p = 0.20) were collected from a hatchery and were randomly assigned to T1 and T2, while similar-sized singlebranched money plants (stem length: F1, 22 = 1.28, p = 0.27) were collected from the local market and were randomly planted into T1 and T3. Water quality parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen) were monitored regularly and did not show any significant variation or any deleterious effect on the growth of fish and plants. After the experimental period, the results showed that the final weight of T1 catfish (aquaponics) was significantly higher than the T2 treatment group (monoculture). In the case of the plants, total leaf number (p = 0.005), total leaf area (p = 0.0007) and total plant biomass (p = 0.011) of the T1 group (aquaponics) were significantly higher than those of the T3 group (monoculture). The results suggest that the integration of Asian stinging catfish with money plants provide a new avenue for sustainable fish food production along with hydroponics.