Sucker fish, or suckermouth catfish, have invaded fish farms in Twante township in Yangon Region, posing a serious threat to the local industry, fish farm owners said. Sucker fish are not native to Myanmar, but are imported from overseas. Originally a native species of South America, these fish have spread from country to country through trading and breeding. They are primarily bought as aquarium fish, and after being imported from overseas, they land in the hands of domestic aquarists. A study conducted by the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) said that sucker fish are released into nearby rivers, streams, or ponds when they grow too big for aquarium owners. The fish, which have no value as food, are now found in streams and rivers throughout Myanmar. BANCA executives travelled last month to Khattiya village to investigate reports that sucker fish have invaded and destroyed about 8000 acres of freshwater fish farms that were mainly growing mrigal carp and labeo rohita. We have 490 acres of fish farms and all of them have been invaded by sucker fish. Others have also said they’re encountering the same problem. They are spreading. Out of the 30,000 acres of fish farms in Twante, more than 20,000 acres are facing this predicament, said U Aye Min, a fish farm worker from Twante township. We have sent letters to the Department of Fisheries too. A few days ago, some Chinese nationals came and observed. They said that they will give us a reply about whether the fish are marketable or not. But, currently we haven’t gotten any replies, he added. BANCA’s survey also discovered that during harvest time more than 2000 viss (3200 kilograms) of sucker fish (around 4000) were recovered. U Hnin Oo, deputy chair of Myanmar Fisheries Federation, warned that if this current complication is not systematically tackled, the fishing industry might face losses, and the prices of fish will skyrocket. These sucker fish must be cleared by the fish farm workers themselves. There are many ways to carry out a clearance operation. We also will require experts, but the farm workers must also act, he said. Chlorine might be effective for a small farm, but if the fish farm is huge, it will be difficult, he added. According to the initial research by BANCA, sucker fish entered into the region’s fish farms after Cyclone Nargis in 2008. A sucker fish measures 16 to 18 inches (41 to 46 centimetres) from head to tail, and weighs 750 to 783 grams with a life expectancy over seven months. They can lay up to 2000 eggs at a time. Locally, sucker fish are called Mway Pway Nga Khu, and there are tiny spines all over its body which are known to be toxic and can be poisonous. With increasing fish and fish food prices on one hand and the increasing number of sucker fish in fish ponds on the other, business is going dropping, said a fish pond business owner. These fish can survive even in a pond with little water. They mainly feed on weeds, lotus, and water convolvulus, infant insects and other fish. They not only rob food from fish bred in the pond, but their sharp fins also cause injuries to the fish, resulting in a decrease in production. The phenomenon mainly occurs in Twante. We know it because fish farm owners notify us. As people don’t eat them, we are going to run out of business, said U Hnin Oo. As for cleansing them, fishermen are leaving the captured sucker fish to die in separate ponds and also use chemicals and shock them. But in spite of these efforts, they are still increasing at a fast pace. Fishpond owners must cleanse their own ponds themselves. Our department has given instructions. Currently, no one has officially contacted our department about this, said U Tun Win Myint, Regional Head of Section for Yangon Region’s Fisheries Department. BANCA warned that sucker fish are spreading in Myanmar’s streams and rivers and they might have already reached Moeyoongyi Inn in Bago Region, and even Inlay Lake in Shan State. U Aye Min, another fish pond owner, is asking the government to come up with a systematic information campaign on how to deal with the sucker fishes invasion. Other fish farm owners, including myself, want instructions and suggestions to solve this predicament, he said.