Turn Pests into Treasure! The Philippines Explores Using Pond Snails as a New Feed for Pomfrets
Snails that multiply wildly in aquaculture ponds have long been a headache for fish farmers. To get rid of them, many Southeast Asian farms frequently use chemical molluscicides, which pushes up costs and poses potential risks to the environment. Now, ongoing research in the Philippines is trying to turn this troublemaker into a valuable aquaculture resource.
Researchers at the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Tigbauan, Philippines, are testing alternative feed formulations for pomfrets.
Pomfrets are widely farmed across Southeast Asia thanks to their easy rearing and strong market demand. However, high prices of commercial feed remain a major factor holding back farmers’ profits. While monitoring trial ponds, researcher Edgar Somblingo noticed abundant native snails. This sparked an idea: wild pomfrets naturally feed on mollusks. Could these snails, regarded as pond pests, be processed into an ingredient for pomfret feed?
The research team set up controlled experiments to compare the performance of feed supplemented with snail material against conventional commercial feed. Trials are still in progress.
Promising outcomes would bring two major benefits: ✅ Lower costs and higher profits: Abundant wild snails could partially replace traditional feed ingredients, cutting feed expenses for pomfret farming and potentially bringing down retail prices for consumers. ✅ Ecological management: Harvesting pest snails for feed reduces reliance on chemical snail killers, turning pests into resources and easing chemical pollution in aquaculture water bodies.
Rising prices of fishmeal and other protein raw materials are a common challenge for the global aquaculture sector. Converting farm pests into feed protein follows the classic concept of “turning pests into treasure”. That said, the research is not yet completed. Full test data is still needed to verify the new feed’s performance in supporting fish growth, optimize nutrition ratios and processing methods, and assess disease risks.
If the technology proves viable in the future, this model may offer new inspiration for brackish and marine aquaculture in Southeast Asia and beyond. Instead of spending money to eradicate pests, we can unlock their resource potential.
Key takeaway
Core concept: transform aquaculture pests into feed ingredients. The approach tackles pest infestation while easing pressure from high feed costs. Even so, many hurdles remain before this technology can move from research ponds to widespread on-farm use.
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