1. MARINE ORNAMENTAL FISHES
Dr.B.AHILAN, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Dept. of Aquaculture
Fisheries College and Research Institute
Thoothukudi

2. Ornamental sponges Clathria Bowl sponge neptune's cup sponge
Red sponge, Amphimedeon

3. IMPORTANT FAMILIES Acanthuridae :12 species Balistidae : 8
Scaridae : 9
Labridae : 6
Syngnathidae : 6
Chaetodontidae : 15
Haemulidae : 3
Pomacanthidae : 3

4. IMPORTANT FAMILIES contd..
Triacanthidae : 3 species
Monacanthidae : 2
Scorpaenidae : 2
Theraponidae : 2
Diodontidae : 1
Caesionidae : 1
Dasyatidae : 1
Grammastidae : 1 (Pogonoperca punctata)
Malacanthidae : 1
Zanculidae : 1

5. Families contd… Ostracidae (Tetrasomus, Lactaria) Tetradontidae
Food fishes / not considered as ornamentals
Lutjanidae
Serranidae (Epinephelus group)
Siganidae
Nemipteridae
Mullidae

6. Syngnathidae Pipe fishes and seahorses Small in size
Pipe fishes: long and slender with bony exterior
Seahorses: Horse like;brood pouch in male
Pectoral, anal and caudal fins absent
Feed - zooplankton, copepods, isopods and amphipods
Seahorse four species(Lipton, 1996)
Hippocampus kuda, H. fuscus, H. trimaculatus, (H. histrix), H. spinifera
Schedule 1 of Wild Life Protection Act

7. Hippocampus kuda

8. Scorpion fishes Mostly venomous Most popular aquariculture sp
About 30cm
Color red, brown or gray
Feed - crabs and small fishes
Nocturnal
Pterois volitans

9. Pterois volitans-red lion fish

10. Pseudochromidae Small Lives under boulders
Pseudochromis and Acanthochromis

11. Chaetodontidae World wide 113 sp
Feed - coral, algae, small benthic invertebrates
Monogamy
Chaetodon, Heniochus
Small buoyant eggs
Hatching hrs

12. Chaetodon collare

13. Pomacanthidae Angel fishes
Stout backward projecting spine on the lower edge of operculum
Centropage- small in size - <8cm-
Feed algae
Form harems of single dominant male and several females
Pomacanthus relatively larger cm
Feed-sponge supplemented with algae, tunicates
Monogamous
P. annularis, P. imperator

14. Pomacanthus annularis

15. Pomacanthus semicirculatus

16. Pomacanthus

17. Pomacentridae Damsel fishes- anemone fishes
The tentacles touch, poison, and kill fish except for the clown fish.
Protects the clown fish from predators.
Chromis - Guards a small plot of turf for feeding
Abudefduf
Amphiprion: eggs deposited on firm substrate
Parental care-guards the egg
Egg predation-wrasses and butterfly fishes

18. Amphiprion clarkii

19. Amphiprion sebae

20. Chromis sp

21. Abudefduf sexfasciatus

22. Clown fish in anemones

23. Labridae Wrasses Iniistius [Xyrichthys], Thalassoma , Coris
Eats eggs of damsel fish
Omnivorous
Feed-crabs, shrimps, Polychaetes, Zooplankton
Harem found in Labroides - single dominant male followed by several females

24. Iniistius pavo

25. Coris formosa

26. Scaridae Parrot fishes Fussed jaw teeth Feed - coral polyps
Scarus gibbus

27. Chlorurus gibbus (Scarus gibbus)

28. Gobiidae World species exceed 1600
Wide distribution- fw, estuarine, coral reefs
Cryptocentrus obliquus-pink spot shrimp goby
Omnivorous
Easy to maintain
Makes protective burrows
Lays eggs in clusters-guard by parents
Successfully bred

29. Cryptocentrus leptocephalus (C.obliquus)

30. Acanthuridae Surgeon fish Acanthurus, Naso, Zebrasoma
Bony, knife like structure in the middle of the tail.
Naso- two spines

31. Acanthurus leucosternon

32. Naso brevirostris

33. Zebrasoma veliferum

34. Balistidae Triggerfish Odonus niger - highly abundant
Feeds- sea urchin, starfish,crabs and shrimps
Size>30cm

35. Odonus niger

36. Balistoides viridescens

37. Zanculus cornutus Rare Species Bolbometopon muricatum
Pogonoperca punctata
Low population,-
Low fecundity
Coral destruction
High natural mortality
Predation

38. Zanculus cornutus

39. Porcuppine fish

40. Box fishes Ostracion

41. BREEDING METHODS Egg depositors : Clown fishes
Mouth Brooder : Apogonids
Pouch breeders : Sea horses
Egg scatterers
Problem in Breeding
Breeding Successful - Sea horses, Anemone fishes, Chaetodon, Pseudochromis, Gobiosoma sp

42. BREEDING contd
Technology not reliable or inefficient to sustain as an industry
Srilanka- Natural collection and marketing for 50 sp
India - Damselfish, Amphiprion sebae, A. chrysogaster, Hippocampus kuda
Egg scatters are difficult to breed
Butterfly fish, Angel fish, Wrasses -more difficult to raise
Low fecundity
Non availability of quality live feed
Thermoregulation for breeding
Daily checking of pairing

43. FISHERY Least exploited Gears Lift net Seine net Scoop net Traps
Hand picking – skin divers
Stupefying methods / icthyocides - cyanide, clove oil
Crevice dwellers and Caverns- no specific fishing method

44. CHOOSING A RIGHT FISH FOR AQUARIUM
Avoidance of sensitive sp
Stocking compatible sp
Less fish stock-easily feeding – Anemone fishes, Gobids
Communal living (different type feeders)
Stocking cheap varieties
Segregating big predators (Grouper)

45. THANK YOU