Mayor Marides Fernando has established the Benefish Committee which is tasked to study how to convert the janitor fish into useful products.

"Right now, the committee is studying how to turn the fish into leather, soap, oil and food products," Fernando said.

Earlier, the committee tried to produce leather from the janitor fish but cancelled the project because of the fish skin’s foul odor.

The large population of janitor fish in the Marikina River continues to endanger other fish species in the river. Edible fish varieties could be found in the river including tilapia, bangus and carp.

But with the continued growth of the janitor fish population in the river, most of the edible fish varieties have died. At present, the fish ratio in the river is one bangus for 1,000 janitor fish, fishermen said.

The fishermen complain that the janitors are depriving them of their means of livelihood. The janitors eat up the algae in the river, depriving other fish of food and killing them, the fishermen said.

Also, the janitors dig into the bank soil and destroy fishing nets with their sharp fins.

Though studies have shown that the janitor fish is safe to eat, it has remained a nuisance.

Earlier, in a bid to eradicate the janitor fish in the river, the Marikina city council passed an ordinance allocating a budget for the capture of this fish.

Under Ordinance 0882004 authored by Councilor Ferdie Marco in February last year, the city government alloted P50,000 to buy the fish that would be caught by residents.

Many poor residents harvested janitor fish and were paid 20 centavos for each janitor fish they collected.

However, the budget has been used up and the janitor fish continues to increase in number.

Park and Development Office chief Vincent Forte said that during last year’s campaign, the number of janitor fish in the river lessened. But after the campaign was stopped due to unavailability of funds, the janitor fish population has again been multiplying by the thousands every day.

Fernando said the proliferation of janitor fish started three years ago. She said the janitors were carried into the river by floods. Some pet owners also threw the fish into the river. Since then, the number of the suckermouth catfish has surged and is continuing to destroy the river’s ecosystem.