Mosquitofish as defense available
CONTRA DENGUE, ZIKA VIRUS
MOSQUITOFISH (Gambusia affinis), abundant in a fishery center here, is an effective defense against the spread of deadly mosquitoes that cause the deadly dengue and the spread of Zika virus.
Dr. Westly Rosario, chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center in this city, said the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority acknowledged this and its its Ecology Center has asked for 10,000 fingerlings of mosquitofish last Sep. 30.
SBMA is a port for container vans from different areas, especially overseas.
“To me it is important to grant their request because some container vans may have also transported mosquitoes that carry the virus to the country,” he said.
Zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, Rosario pointed out.
Rosario said mosquitofish has been with them for many years but people do not realize its value.
Historically, mosquitofish was spread by Americans in 1920s to address malaria outbreak. It was introduced then into the ecosystems in other countries, like the Philippines to lower mosquito populations especially at a time when the country encountered a spread of malaria..
He said it was introduced as a counter force against mosquitoes because they eat mosquito larvae. “We need to stress the importance of this species to address spread of diseases like dengue or Zika virus”.
Mosquitofish has high protein level and it is good food for seabass fingerlings, he added.
Additionally, mosquitofish are resilient even in low oxygen and it can survive on its own, he said. He added that its survival rate is 100 percent.
Female mosquitofish can grow up to seven centimeters (cms.) while the males are up to four cms.
The name mosquitofish was given because the diet of this fish predominantly consists of large amounts of mosquito larvae. (Tita Roces)
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