Biology, Induced Breeding and Culture Prospects of the Asian Striped Dwarf Catfish, Mystus tengara: A Review

The Asian striped dwarf catfish, Mystus tengara is a freshwater tropical fish, inhabits both stagnant and flowing waters. This species is widely distributed in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan. Because of excellent nutritional content and delicious flavour, it has a strong market demand, positioning it as a potential candidate species for the aquaculture diversification in freshwater. The native population of this species has recently diminished due to over-exploitation and several unintended ecological alterations. A thorough understanding about biological characteristics of a species is essential for farming it. Numerous scientific investigations have studied various aspects of the biology of M. tengara, but there is a lack of information regarding its breeding, seed production and culture practices. The present review is aimed to highlight a consolidated picture of the status of general and reproductive biology, captive seed production as well as culture potential of this valuable species. This study will explore the scope of future research for the advancement of commercial aquaculture and conservation of the M. tengara.