MARINE ORNAMENTAL FISHES Dr B AHILAN Ph D

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hippocampus kuda

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

Pterois volitans-red lion fish

Pseudochromidae v Small v Lives under boulders v Pseudochromis and Acanthochromis

Chaetodontidae v World wide 113 sp v Feed - coral, algae, small benthic invertebrates v Monogamy v Chaetodon, Heniochus v Small buoyant eggs v Hatching 24 -48 hrs

Chaetodon collare

Pomacanthidae v Angel fishes v Stout backward projecting spine on the lower edge of operculum v Centropage- small in size - <8 cmv Feed algae v Form harems of single dominant male and several females v Pomacanthus relatively larger- 40 -45 cm v Feed-sponge supplemented with algae, tunicates v Monogamous v P. annularis, P. imperator

Pomacanthus annularis

Pomacanthus semicirculatus

Pomacanthus

Pomacentridae v Damsel fishes- anemone fishes w The tentacles touch, poison, and kill fish except for the clown fish. w Protects the clown fish from predators. v Chromis - Guards a small plot of turf for feeding v Abudefduf v Amphiprion: 100 - 500 eggs deposited on firm substrate v Parental care-guards the egg v Egg predation-wrasses and butterfly fishes

Amphiprion clarkii

Amphiprion sebae

Chromis sp

Abudefduf sexfasciatus

Clown fish in anemones

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

Iniistius pavo

Coris formosa

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

Chlorurus gibbus (Scarus gibbus)

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

Cryptocentrus leptocephalus (C. obliquus)

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

Acanthurus leucosternon

Naso brevirostris

Zebrasoma veliferum

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

Odonus niger

Balistoides viridescens

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

Zanculus cornutus

Porcuppine fish

Box fishes Ostracion

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

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

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

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

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