Feasibility of raceway farming with striped snakehead (Channa striata) in terms of production, biology and financial benefits

An exploratory study on raceway farming was conducted to assess the feasibility of the system to culture striped snakehead ( Channa striata ) in terms of production, biology, and economic viability. The stocking density was 100 fish/m³ (totaling 4000 fish in 1.25 decimals), and they were fed both commercial feed and live food during the 6-month grow-out period (May-October 2020). Key water quality parameters, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH, were within the acceptable range for aquaculture. The specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, survival rate, and total biomass in raceways were determined to be 1.23 % day −1 , 1.87, 95 %, and 750 kg, respectively. Hematological parameters, such as blood glucose, hemoglobin, red blood cells, white blood cells, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, indicated better health in fish reared in raceways compared to those in aquaculture ponds and natural water bodies. These findings demonstrate that striped snakehead production in raceways was both profitable and economically viable. The gross cost, net revenue, and undiscounted benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of raceway farming during the experimental period were US$ 1755.31, US$ 1154.69, and 1.66, respectively. In raceway farming with C. striata , the break-even price was US$ 2.34, with a payback period of 1.48 years, a net present value of US$ 576.86, an internal rate of return of 36.00 %, and a discounted BCR of 1.34 at a 9 % annual discount rate over 10 years. Sensitivity analysis shows that raceway farming for C. striata is economically viable, with a 65.76 % threshold for running costs and a 39.47 % decline in net return, demonstrating resilience to cost and revenue fluctuations. Overall, the results demonstrate that raceway farming is a viable technique, with C. striata as a suitable species for intensive farming. • Raceway is a high-density fish farming process, still in its infancy in Bangladesh. • An experimental study was conducted producing C. striata to test raceway’s feasibility. • C. striata produced from raceway showed better hematological parameters than in ponds or wild. • This fish is ideal for intensive raceway farming due to its encouraging growth and health. • Raceway farming of C. striata is economically viable and profitable in the long-term.