Fish Health Management Practices and Disease Occurrence in Pond and Cage Aquaculture Systems in the Pwani, Dar es Salaam, and Mwanza Regions, Tanzania.

This study assessed fish farms, general fish health management, disease occurrences, and management practices in Tanzania's pond and cage culture systems. Data were collected using semistructured questionnaires from operational farms across three regions (Pwani, Dar es Salaam, and Mwanza). The questionnaire survey assessed farmers' demographic data, general pond management practices, and health management issues, including pond treatment, the use of disinfectants and antibiotics, disease and mortality, fish waste management, and net handling. The results showed that the majority (93.2%) of respondents were male, and 34.1% were aged 40-49 years. Most farmers owned ponds/tanks (69.7%), and the remaining owned cages (30.3%). Tilapia was the most farmed fish species (97.0%), followed by the polyculture of tilapia and catfish. Except for the lake, where all cage farms were located, rivers, springs, wetlands, boreholes, and municipal piped water were other sources of water. All water sources for pond-based farms lacked pretreatment reservoirs. Most fish farms (87/131) had experienced fish diseases and mortalities. Only 20.6% of respondents reported receiving training in fish health and disease management. Most respondents knew that fish could get sick, but training in disease diagnosis was poor. The clinical signs that respondents listed included decreased feed intake, erratic movements, skin ulcers, a distended abdomen, darkened skin, white skin patches, fin rot and scale erosion, stunted growth, and protruding eyes. The survey suggests that training attendance and self-reported diagnostic capacity were limited among farmers in the surveyed regions. Training and capacity building for farmers in disease diagnosis and management are a way forward for enhancing the sustainability and profitability of tilapia farming in Tanzania.