Looking to add a dash of colour to your home? Then, why not some ornamental fish? Believed to bring good luck to homes, ornamental fish –— Chinese flowerhorn, parrot fish and arowana —– initially bred in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and China are now easily available in India. Bred in small-scale fisheries in cities like Chennai and Kolkata, ornamental fish are in great demand for the opulence that they add to one’s home and exorbitant prices that they fetch.
K. Pushpagandhan, an ornamental fish breeder based in Kerala, says, “These exotic varieties are very popular in India as they are considered lucky for home and hearth. They were initially imported from Singapore and Malaysia, but now they are bred locally. They fetch more here as the demand for them abroad is dwindling.” He adds, “A full-grown discus can cost as much as `25,000, while an arowana fetches a price anywhere between `80,000 to 1 lakh. Arowanas come in red, green, blue and mixed varieties and are priced according to colour. A palm-sized flowerhorn can cost as much as `25,000.”
While ornamental fish require high maintenance, their lifespan is anywhere between 5 to 10 years. Great care needs to be taken to keep these fish healthy and active. Says fish health consultant, R. Rajaraman of Raj Aqua Clinic, “These fish are highly prone to diseases, so every effort must be made to keep the water clear. Even when the water in the aquarium looks crystal clear, it is infused with colourless toxic gasses such carbon dioxide, ammonia, and hydrogen sulphates that are released by the fish, which can make them sick. Hence, it is necessary to do a bottom water exchange in the aquarium, at least once a week.”
Regardless of the effort, the joys of keeping ornamental fish are limitless. Says Dr Renuka David, who has built an aquarium the size of a wall in her Chennai home, “I wanted to have something different in my home. While I concede that maintenance calls for professional help, these fish are just so beautiful to watch. They are relaxing and soothing.” Renuka even believes that the fish have distinct characteristics of their own. “They have mood swings,” she laughs. “In the mornings they are lethargic and when there is any activity around them, they swim around like crazy,” she laughs.