Status of drugs, chemicals and antibiotics usages in freshwater aquaculture activities at Jaintapurupazila of Sylhet, Bangladesh

Abstract: The study was conducted from March 2016 to October 2016 to understand the current status of drugs, chemicals and antibiotics used for health management at freshwater aquaculture activities in Jaintapur Upazila of Sylhet. Data were collected through questionnaire interview, market survey through the participation of fish farmers, sellers and representatives of pharmaceutical companies. The most common dose of lime, urea and TSP used by the farmers were 0.5-1 kg/40m2, 80-150g/40m2and 50-100g/40m2 respectively for pond and water quality management. Various categories of aqua drugs and chemicals were identified that were used for water quality management, disinfection, controlling DO level, disease treatment, antibiotics and growth promoter. EDTA, Bleaching powder, Timsen, Polgard, Aquakleen, Virex, Germnillwere widely disinfectant. Health management and disease treatment were the major activities and farmers were seen to use Trichlorfon 40%, Angrab, Spa, KMnO4, Lime, Salt, CT-DOX,VitaX-C, Pond Safe, Deletrixetc. Mostly used antibiotics were Renamycin, Oxysentin 20%, Chlorsteclin, Oxy-D Vet, Aquamycin, Orgamycin 15%, Orgacycline15% etc. Major active ingredients of those antibiotics were tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlorotetracycline, amoxicillin, doxycycline etc. There were 47 pharmaceutical companies, including international, supplying more than 250 products in the study area. The study indicated umpteen problems associated with the use of chemicals, dose, times and methods of application which must be overcome for environmental and animal safety