MUI Rejects Burying Janitor Fish Alive, Suggests Using Them as Animal Feed and Fertiliser Instead

JAKARTA — The Secretary of the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), KH Miftahul Huda, has suggested that janitor fish should not simply be exterminated by burying them alive, but rather utilised as animal feed and organic fertiliser. According to Kiai Miftah, this approach is deemed more economically valuable and humane compared to the burial method, which is considered torturous to the animals and contrary to Islamic principles. Kiai Miftah stated that, in principle, MUI agrees with exterminating janitor fish to prevent disruption to local ecosystems. However, burying them alive is regarded as not ihsan (good) and inhumane. Moreover, janitor fish have economic value if managed properly. He warned that efforts to bury janitor fish could cause other problems, such as producing unpleasant odours that disturb communities and the environment. Burying these native Amazon river fish could also attract other animals to dig up the graves. “The flesh of janitor fish can be processed into fish meal as a feed mixture, namely for cultured fish like catfish and tilapia, as well as poultry feed such as for chickens and ducks; its protein content is quite high, making it economical as a substitute for feed ingredients,” said Kiai Miftah to Republika on Monday (20/4/2026).