Government Arts College. Coimbatore-641 018 Department of Zoology. III B.Sc., Zoology Skill Based Subject III Ornamental Fish Culture Dr. M. Muthusamy Unit. I. Introduction and Scope of Ornamental Fish Culture, Taxonomy of Aquarium Fishes- Marine-Fresh Water, Water Tolerance in fishes. Ornamental Fish Culture Fishes that are keep in home aquariums or for aesthetic purposes are considered ornamental fish. These fishes encompass a wide variety of species, of many shapes, sizes, and colors. Ornamental fish are usually kept in tanks or other aquarium systems. Ornamental Fish Culture : SCOPE • The sale of the fishes and aquarium related articles is easy as it does not require a special transportation infrastructure. • The village women learn and do this job more efficiently than men. The learner does not require any special formal education. I have got this done from totally illiterate ladies. • The sale of the fishes and aquarium related articles is easy as it does not require a special transportation infrastructure. • Nowadays ornamental fish keeping is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Ornamental Fish Culture : SCOPE The making of the aquarium fish food from the locally available ingredients, fabrication of different sizes of glass aquaria, small dip-nets, sale of the bottom material in the form of small round stones, coloured gravel, marble chips, plastic toys and even the air diffusers and aerators can be collected and stored or manufactured at the cottage level. Ornamental Fish Culture : SCOPE • Ornamental fish trade is a multi million rupees industry in India and virtually multi billion dollar industry in the world. Financial institutions like NABARD, and National Fisheries Board support this industry as a cottage venture. • Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi are the main business centres for this industry who get their supplies from the small entrepreneurs. Ornamental Fish Culture. The fishes are fascinating organisms, Abundantly distributed In freshwater, brackishwater and shore marine ecosystem around us. In recent years, ornamental fishes are receiving increased attention due to local and global demand and the consequent growth of the export market and trade. More than 100 varieties of indigenous freshwater ornamental fish species are known in Indian waters. Ornamental Fish Culture. Ornamental fish keeping and its propagation has been an interesting activity for many, which provide not only aesthetic pleasure but also financial openings. About 600 ornamental fish species have been reported worldwide from various aquatic environments. India’s overall ornamental fish trade was about 1.06 million US$ during year 2009. Ornamental fishes have a good potential due to enormous geographical spread, extensive species diversity and intensive research and development effort that are already put in by the associated institutions Ornamental Fish Culture In Indian ornamental fishes are exported to Singapore, US, UK, Belgium, Italy, Japan, China, Australia and South Africa. The internal ornamental fish trade of India is estimated to be of the order of Rs. 15 corers and the export trade in the line is in the vicinity of US $ 1.0 million. The annual growth rate of this trade is 14%. At present the ornamental fish has created a big market Indian aquarium fish exports from Kolkata, followed by 8% from Mumbai and 2% from Chennai. The global trade in the ornamental fish is estimated at Rs 5,000 crores, of which India has in the year of 2003-04, Rs.7 lakes. Ornamental Fish Culture: Marine ornamental fish culture The marine ornamental fish industry has been expanding in recent years and the global marine ornamental fish trade is estimated at US $ 200-330 million The ornamental fishery resources of India and their territories are greater than those of SirLanka, Africa, Singapore, Malaysia and Maldives put together. India has a vast coastline of 8,129 km with around 400 species of ornamental fishes belonging to 175 genera, coming under 50 families occurring in the Indian seas. Ornamental Fish Cult fish species Potential marine ornamental fish species resources are clown fish, damsel fish, moorish idol, lion fish, parrot fishes, box fishes or trunk fishes, marine angels, butter f ish, cleaner wrasse,cardinal fishes, surgent fishes/unicon fish, hawk fishes, bat fishes, puffer fishes, trigger fish , rabbit fish, squirrel fish, scorpion fish, blennies fish, sand smelt fish and sea horse fly. Very little works have been made on the acclimatization and culture of marine ornamental fishes in captivity. At present studies on the breeding of marine ornamental fishes in India is in its infant stage . Ornamental Fish Culture: Water tolerance Ornamental Fish Culture: Water tolerance Ornamental Fish Culture: Water tolerance Ornamental Fish Culture: Water tolerance Ornamental Fish Culture: Water tolerance Dissolved solids • Dissolved solids" refer to any minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions dissolved in water. Total dissolved solids (TDS) comprise inorganic salts (principally calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulfates) and some small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water. • In general, the total dissolved solids concentration is the sum of the cations (positively charged) and anions (negatively charged) ions in the water. Therefore, the total dissolved solids test provides a qualitative measure of the amount of dissolved ions but does not tell us the nature or ion relationships. Dissolved solids • TDS in drinking-water originate from natural sources, sewage, urban run-off, industrial wastewater, and chemicals used in the water treatment process, and the nature of the piping or hardware used to convey the water. • The concentration of the dissolved ions may cause the water to be corrosive, salty or brackish taste, result in scale formation, and interfere and decrease efficiency of hot water heaters Dissolved solids • Spawning fishes and juveniles appear to be more sensitive to high TDS levels. For example, it was found that concentrations of 350 mg/l TDS reduced spawning of Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in the San Francisco Bay-Delta region, and that concentrations below 200 mg/l promoted even healthier spawning conditions. In the Truckee River, EPA found that juvenile Lahontan cutthroat trout were subject to higher mortality when exposed to thermal pollution stress combined with high total dissolved solids concentrations. optimum temperature • The goldfish can also be kept in heated aquariums. The optimum temperature for fancy goldfish is 68° to 74° F, while comets and shubunkins should be kept between 60° and 70°F. pH is not critical, but ideally should be between 7.0 and 8.4. • Flowerhorn cichlids have a lifespan of 10–12 years. They are usually kept at a water temperature of 80–85 °F, and a pH of 7.4–8.0. They require a tank of a minimum of 40 gallons, with 75 gallons optimal. optimum temperature • The Oscar fish ,Because these fish come from a tropical habitat, they require warm water, generally within the 77° to 80°F range. To achieve this, you will need to equip your tank with a quality aquarium heater. Ornamental Fish Culture: Water tolerance • Actinopterygii members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class or subclass of the bony fishes. • The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or horny spines ("rays"), as opposed to the fleshy, lobed fins that characterize the class Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish). These actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements, the radials, which represent the link or connection between these fins and the internal skeleton (e.g., pelvic and pectoral girdles). • Numerically, actinopterygians are the dominant class of vertebrates, comprising nearly 99% of the over 30,000 species of fish. They are ubiquitous throughout freshwater and marine environments from the deep sea to the highest mountain streams. Extant species can range in size from Paedocypris, at 8 mm (0.3 in), to the massive ocean sunfish, at 2,300 kg (5,070 lb), and the long-bodied oarfish, at 11 m (36 ft). • Ray-finned fishes occur in many variant forms. The main features of a typical ray-finned fish are shown in the adjacent diagram. • Ray-finned fishes have many different types of scales; but all teleosts, the most advanced actinopterygians, have leptoid scales. The outer part of these scales fan out with bony ridges while the inner part is crossed with fibrous connective tissue. Leptoid scales are thinner and more transparent than other types of scales, and lack the hardened enamel or dentine-like layers found in the scales of many other fish. Unlike ganoid scales, which are found in non-teleost actinopterygians, new scales are added in concentric layers as the fish grows. • Fin arrangements • Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. This order contains 11-12, although some authorities have designated as many as 23, families over 400 genera, and more than 4,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized frequently. They are most diverse in southeastern Asia, and are entirely absent from Australia and South America. At 112 years old, the longest-lived cypriniform fish documented is the bigmouth buffalo. • Their closest living relatives are the Characiformes (characins and allies), the Gymnotiformes (electric eel and American knifefishes), and the Siluriformes (catfishes). • The Cyprinidae are the family of freshwater fish, collectively called cyprinids, that includes the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives (for example, the barbs and barbels). Also commonly called the "carp family", or "minnow family", Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family and the largest vertebrate animal family in general, with about 3,000 species of which only 1,270 remain extant, divided into about 370 genera They range from about 12 mm to the 3- m Catlocarpio siamensis.