Fish farming is one of the most lucrative agricultural businesses to engage in Nigeria today. You can engage in farming different kinds of fish such as catfish and tilapia. Regardless of the type of fish that you want to farm, you need certain equipment to succeed.

What are the different pieces of fish farming equipment that you need? How much do these pieces of equipment cost? You should continue reading this post if you will like to find out. We will also provide you with some tips on how to start a fish farming business in Nigeria.

Prices of Fish Farming Equipment in Nigeria

There are several reasons why fish farming has grown in popularity in this part of the world. One of them is that there is a ready market. Nigerians use fish as a source of protein in different local dishes. If you will like to go into fish farming, here are some of the pieces of equipment that you need. We have also added their prices:

• Collapsible Frameless Mobile Fishpond: N30,000 – N45,000
• Aquatech 15 x 3.5ft Mobile Imported Fish Pond: N240,000 – N300,000
• Dickem 6 x 4ft mobile imported pond: N65,000 – N90,000
• Imported 10 x 2.8ft Mobile Fish Pond: N70,000 – N100,000
• Aquatech Imported Hatchery Vat: N25,000 – N45,000
• Locally Fabricated 15 x 10 x 4ft Mobile Fish Pond: N120,000 – N140,000
• Standardized Weights (For Balance Scales | Various Calibrations | Lock Type): N46,000 – N69,000
• Digital Temperature and Humidity Meter (with Clock) – HTC 1/2 Brand: N7,600 – N9,000
• Portable Electronic Hanging Scale (WeiHeng Brand | 0 to 50kg): N6,500 – N8,000
• High Precision Bench Scale (230 x 160 mm | 5kg and 10kg Capacity | Touch Screen): N11,000 – N15,000
• Digital Water Quality Tester (Total Dissolved Solids TDS Meter 3): N11,500 – N15,000
• Heavy-Duty Digital Crane Scale (Model OCS-S1 | 300kg/500kg Capacity | Hook/Hanging Type): N45,000 – N60,000

Note that these prices may change depending on different factors. Some of these factors include government policies, company policies, location, and the vendor that you visit. Let’s show you how much it costs to start a fish farm in Nigeria.

Cost of Starting a Fish Farm in Nigeria

When you want to start a fish farm, one of the first things that you should consider is the cost. How much does it cost to start a fish farm in Nigeria? There are several things that you must consider when determining the cost of your farm. We have outlined some of them in this section:

Fish pond

There are several options to consider when it comes to your fish pond. You can rent a pond, create a pond, or purchase a portable or collapsible pond. Each of these options comes at a cost and we will give you a simple breakdown later on in this post.

Pond preparation

Several operations go into the preparation of your pond. Some of these operations include clearing the pond area of bushes, liming, demudding, etc. You also have to construct erosion channels.

Netting

It is imperative that you set nets in your pond to protect your fish from predators. Netting is one of the most important expenses that you will incur when starting a fish farm.

Procurement of juveniles

Juveniles are the fish that you begin your farm with. The standard price of juveniles is between N30 and N35 per one.

Feeds

There are different sizes of conventional and non-conventional feeds. These different sizes come at different prices. Asides from the amount you spend on purchasing feeds, you must also consider paying staff if you won’t be available.

Medication

Even though routine medication is optional, it is very important. Factoring in this cost saves you from excess mortality on your farm.

If you are going to rent a pond, here’s a sample of the costs that you are likely to incur:

• Pond renting (six months for a thousand juveniles): N15,000 – N20,000
• Pond preparation (this is just for earthen pond): N10,000 – N15,000
• Netting (this includes workmanship): N5,000 – N8,000
• Procurement of juveniles (of about 6g to 10g at N30 – N35 each): N30,000 – N35,000
• Feeds for six months (100g per fish. Seven bags in total at between N7,000 – N7,500): N49,000 – N52,000
• Cost of feeding: N10,000 – N12,000
• Logistics: N10,000 – N13,000
• Security: N5,000 – N8,000
• Routine medication: N2,000 – N4,000
• Cropping: N4,000 – N6,000

The list above gives you an idea of how much you are likely to spend when starting a fish farm. Of course, this is asides from the equipment that you need. We have discussed some of the important pieces of equipment above. Now, let’s show you how to start a fish farming business in Nigeria.

How to Start a Fish Farming Business in Nigeria

There are certain things that you must do when you want to start a fish farm. We will discuss some of them in this post:

Write a business plan

A business plan is a very important piece of document that acts as a map for your business. This document also helps you to raise capital from investors and banks. Before you write a business plan, you need to carry out a detailed feasibility study.

Construct ponds

The pond is the most important structure on your fish farm. As we mentioned above, you can either construct a pond or rent one. Also, you can choose to purchase collapsible or movable ponds. Whichever you choose, ensure that the plumbing work is done properly. Also, ensure that you construct proper drainages.

Get a reliable source of water

Even if you have the best pond, without water, you cannot run this business effectively. Ensure that you invest in a reliable source of water. You can either sink a borehole or install an overhead tank.

Acquire training

If you don’t have training in raising fish before now, you should invest in acquiring training. We don’t mean the training that you get at seminars. You should go to a farm and acquire training. Speak to existing farmers to learn from their successes and failures.

Get juvenile fish

Source your juvenile fish from a reliable source. This is necessary to ensure that you have a high yield on your farm. Healthy juveniles mean healthy produce.