The team from MRSM Pasir Salak has developed a calcium powder from the bones of the invasive suckermouth catfish, better known locally as ikan bandaraya. (Bernama pic) KAMPUNG GAJAH: Most people see the suckermouth catfish, or ikan bandaraya, as little more than a pest. The invasive fish has spread through rivers across Malaysia, crowding out native species and often ending up discarded after it is caught.
But for six students at MRSM Pasir Salak, it presented an intriguing question: could something most people throw away become something useful? A calcium supplement made from the fish's bones! The idea was sparked by biology teacher Mahfuza Mansor, who had earlier guided students in turning discarded chicken bones from the school's hostel kitchen into calcium powder.
That project won a gold medal at a national innovation competition in 2024. When public discussion turned to the growing ikan bandaraya problem, she wondered if the same concept could work with the invasive fish. "If chicken bones can be transformed into a source of calcium, why not do the same with the bones of ikan bandaraya, which are often discarded after the fish are caught?" she said.
Before stepping into the laboratory, the students spent close to three months studying scientific journals and research papers to understand the fish's composition. They discovered the bones were rich in calcium, collagen and gelatin - enough evidence to begin experimenting. Getting hold of the raw material proved easier than expected.
Mahfuza approached social media content creator Mohd Nur Badri Mat Sidek, better known as Dunia Badol, who regularly catches the invasive fish. "I told him I only wanted the bones," she recalled with a smile. "He was quite surprised because people are usually interested in the fish's roe and flesh.
"I explained that we wanted to turn something normally discarded into something beneficial." The suckermouth catfish, or ikan bandaraya, has spread through rivers across Malaysia, crowding out native species and often ending up discarded after it is caught. The suckermouth catfish, or ikan bandaraya, has spread through rivers across Malaysia, crowding out native species and often ending up discarded after it is caught. Back in the school laboratory, the students spent three months refining the process through repeated trials before producing a stable calcium powder.
Summary from source