VPP 322: Aquatic Animal Diseases, Health Care and Management (1+1)

POPULAR VARIETIES OF ORNAMENTAL FISHES

• Ornamental fishes are colourful, beautiful and attractive fishes that are abundantly distributed in the freshwater and marine systems. These fishes are called “living jewels” due to their beautiful colouration. These fishes are maintained in home aquaria and garden pools for ornamental purposes. More than 100 varieties of indigenous ornamental fishes are available in Indian waters.
• Advantages of keeping ornamental fishes
  • Ornamental fish keeping as a hobby gives limitless pleasure to the young and also to the old, irrespective of the status.
  • It helps to relax our mind
  • It helps decrease the blood pressure in human beings
  • It develops the sense of attachment with nature and responsibility towards the welfare of other living beings
  • It helps to earn money through self employment by under taking sale of fishes and accessories that are needed to maintain them.

Type	Common name	Scientific name
Egg layers	Gold fish	Carassius auratus
	Koi carp	Cyprinus carpio
	Siamese fighter fish	Betta splendens
	Gourami	Trichogaster sp.
	Tetra	Hemigrammus callistus
	Zebra fish	Danio rerio
	Angel fish	Pterophyllum scalare
	Discus	Symphysodon discus
	Barbs	Puntius sp.
Live bearers	Black molly	Poecilia sphenops
	Guppy	Poecilia reticulata
	Platy	Xiphophorus maculates

• Based on the reproductive behaviour, ornamental fishes are classified into two types namely,
  • Egg layers (Fishes that lay eggs)
  • Live bearers (Fishes that give birth to young ones)