After completing his studies, Meherab Hossain Imon began keeping ornamental fish as a hobby in January 2021. By 2022, his passion turned into a commercial venture. On five kathas of unused family land, the young entrepreneur from Patuakhali established a thriving fish farm that now earns him over one lakh taka per month.
Imon, a resident of Kolatala Bot-tola Mosque area under Patuakhali Municipality, holds a master’s degree from the Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) in Dhaka.
“I first saw these colorful fighter fish at my sister’s house in Dhaka. My brother-in-law used to import them. Their beauty fascinated me and inspired the dream of farming them,” said Imon. “In 2021, I started with just five pairs of colorful fighter fish. I studied the breeding process online and experimented through trial and error. Though it was challenging at first, I didn’t give up. Now my farm holds over 7,000 jarred and bottled fish, with a total capacity of 20,000.”
According to Imon, his monthly expenditure on fish feed ranges from Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000. The eggs hatch into fry within three to four days. Some buyers purchase the fry, while others prefer mature fish. It takes around four months for a fry to grow into a saleable size. Depending on size and variety, each pair of fish sells for between Tk 500 and Tk 1,500, while 100 fish are sold for Tk 12,000 to Tk 13,000.
His farm now breeds and sells various species including Fighter, Moontail, Rosetail, Feathertail, and Halfmoon varieties. Through online platforms, Imon supplies his fish to customers across the country, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Khulna, Bagerhat, Bogura, and Rajshahi. Orders are delivered via courier service.
Imon also produces fry through in-house breeding and currently raises the fish in aquariums housed in two rooms built in his yard. He hopes to expand the scale of his business further in the future.
Imon’s father, Mofazzal Hossain, recalled his son’s early struggles. “Imon borrowed money from friends to buy his first five pairs of fish. He was nervous and initially stayed at a friend’s house instead of home. Later, I brought him back and helped him set up two tanks on our vacant land. The first batch died due to lack of experience, but he didn’t give up. Gradually, he became successful,” he said. “In recognition of his success, Imon received awards at the Patuakhali District Fisheries Week in 2022 and at the national level in Dhaka this year.”
Professor Dr. Rajib Sarkar of the Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics at Patuakhali Science and Technology University said, “Many young people are now entering the ornamental fish farming business and finding success.”
Senior Fisheries Officer of Patuakhali Sadar Upazila, Tapan Majumdar, added that the Department of Fisheries welcomes such initiatives and will continue to support entrepreneurs like Imon in every possible way.
