Hyderabad, May 13 -- CCMB scientists have developed a technique to detect invasive fish that threaten ecosystems and lead to loss in fish catch.

They have developed an eDNA-based quantitative PCR assay to map the presence and spread of the invasive armored sailfin catfish in the water bodies of Eastern Ghats.

This is a fish, originating from South America that was once introduced for its unique appearance and its ability to clean algal growth in tanks and aquaria. But now it has spread to 60% of water bodies of the Eastern Ghats, specifically in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu and is also damaging fishing nets and the overall ecosystem.

The catfish was first reported in the fresh waters of Puerto Rico in Venezuela. The exotic...