development of ornamental fisheries in …keralamarinelife.in/journals/vol2-1/03 madhumita...

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Ornamental f isheries and challenges of disease

DEVELOPMENT OF ORNAMENTAL FISHERIESIN INDIA AND THE CHALLENGES OF DISEASE

Madhumita Mukherjee1*, Pradeep, H.D.,1 Amit Dutta2 andAbul Kashem, S.K. 2

1 National Fisheries Development Board, “Fish Building”, Hyderabad2ARHMC, Department of Fisheries, Govt. of West Bengal, Pailan*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract: Ornamental f ishery has grown into a multibillion dollar industry as an important sub-sectorwithin the f isheries segment. Currently, the aquarium industry is estimated to be worth around US$ 15billion world over. In ornamental aqua culture and aquarium keeping, incidence of diseases is the mainproblem which crop up during culture and badly affects the prof itability of the ventures. Under intensiveculture conditions the risk of stress increase and a significant proportion of the stock may become infected.Diseases are caused by virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and parasites. Among these, viral and bacterial diseasesare the most responsible factors for sudden mortality of the f ishes. Now - a - days, in most of the states ofIndia, veterinary grade antibiotics are being used for treating the infected f ishes. But, due to the resistance ofbacteria and negative impacts to the organisms, expected results could not be seen. Prevention of disease isalways cheaper than dealing with disease outbreak once it has occurred. Approaching the development andimplementation of a health management plan will not guarantee a disease free facility, but will go a long waytowards significantly reduced risks of disease introduction and spread. With this back drop, an attempt wasmade in the present study to document the major diseases occurring in the farm sectors and the informationcollected and case studies are discussed in detail. Along with hygiene and disease control, successful productionof ornamental f ish is dependent on a range of factors, the most important being: climate, quality and quantityof water available, soil type and infrastructure including access to markets, airports, roads and electricity.

Key words: Aquarium, ornamental f ish, disease, hygiene, management

INTRODUCTIONAquarium keeping is the second largest hobbyin the world next to photography and theornamental industry is fast gaining importancedue to its tremendous economic opportunitiesand prospects. The global ornamental f ishindustry is worth US$ 15 billion. In 2008 the tradeon export earnings was to a tune of US $ 344million while the import was at the tune of US $349 million. During 2010-11, Indian export aboutornamental f ish is 1.26 Million USD, which is onlyabout 0.3% of the global trade. A rich speciesdiversity and favorable climate, cheap labor andeasy distribution make India suitable forornamental aquaculture. About 90% of Indianexports go from Kolkata followed by 8% from

Mumbai and 2% from Chennai. The exportablesize range of the commonly bred ornamentalf ishes in India is given in Table 1. Keeping theabove points in view, the National FisheriesDevelopment Board has introduced varioussubsidy schemes to support small to integratedfarming of ornamental f ishes, thus generatingemployment opportunities for the urban andrural youth. The disease outbreak is thebottleneck during raising and developing thebrood stock and also during breeding and rearing.The number of potential hazards especiallydisease infestation and attack by parasite andpredator is frequently encountered causing heavymortality. These diseases would often inevitably

Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, Vol. 2(1) 2014: 14-23© Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala.

Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries

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lead to diminishing prof it margins and wouldslow down the growth of the industry. There is aneed to identify these elements for properintervention and taking precautionary measurefor the successful commercial production. The

· Improper buoyancy · Off feed· Scale loss · Lethargy· Changes in color · Isolation· Reddened/ulcerated areas on f ins/body · Increased respiratory rate· Lumps and bumps on the skin and f ins · Flaring of the gill covers· Clamped f ins · Pale gills· Loss of mucous on the skin · Excess mucus production – skin & gills· Sunken eyes · Brown or black patches on the gills· Gasping at surface Bleeding from the gills, loss of gill tissue

Table 1. Common signs of stress and disease in Ornamental f ish

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe material of the present paper is collectedbased on the case study conducted, while runningthe departmental ornamental f ish project onbrooder development, breeding and diseases atARHMC, Pailan and its substation hatchery atCaptain Bherry, West Bengal and also thediseases reported from Tamil Nadu, Kerala,Maharashtra and Karnataka.The AHRC, Pailan have facilities like OlympusCK-2 inverted light microscopes and other needyitems. Different magnif ication photographs ofthe microbes were captured in Motic cam(microscope camera) and still camera was usedin this study. For treatment purpose conventionalmedicine and commercial chemicals available inthe market as well as ARHMC formulatedmedicine ‘Swasti’ was used.Case Ia. White spot disease (Ichthyophthiriusmultif ilis) At AHRC, Pailan white spot was noticed on thebody of redline torpedo barb, Puntius denisoniiduring July 2009. During this period, the f ishlooked unhealthy and their body colorationbecame dull and there was f in erosion at the edge.Microscopic examination f rom the body

scrapping revealed the presence ofIchthyoptherius multif ilies (Figs. 1-3). Erosion ofthe f ins was also seen especially at the edge ofthe caudal f in. Once, this was noticed, the f ishwas isolated to a clean tank and Entero quinol(Quiniodochlor) powder soaked tubifex was fedduring morning hours and this was helpful incontrol protozoans. Oxytetracyclinehydrochloride and vitamin-B powder soakedtubifex feed fed during evening hours for theprobable control of bacterial infection for f iveconsecutive days with 40% water exchange daily.The movement became normal in three daysfrom the beginning of the treatment and theyregained their normal coloration in one monthof time when no sign of illness was seen.

Fig. 1. Infected redline torpedo barb

hobbyists are also concerned regarding the healthand survival rate of the f ishes. The commonlyoccurring f ish diseases encountered in the Indiaand possible remedies are discussed in thepresent paper.

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During August 2009, few white spot was noticedon the body of Oscar (Astronatus oscellatus) .The eyes of the infected specimens seem to bebulging out the eyes coverings seems to losingits transparency and has become whitish opaque.The f ish were not showing normal movement andseems to be sitting at bottom. By the end of theday, 2 f ishes already died few others seems to bestruggling. On the following day f ive more f ishdied. Body scrapings as observed under themicroscope revealed the presence ofIchthyoptherius multif ilis. However, theseprotozoa seem to be losing their motility andbecoming transf ixed within few minutes of time(3 minutes). Some smaller protozoan with largedark nucleus were also present seems to beexhibiting amoeboid movement throughformation of pseudopodia and constantlychanging their shape.Treatment: The infected f ish were treated withsalt and Swasti bath. The infected f ish wereshifted to another clean tank. A 100-watt lampwas set in proximity and a thermostat was set at28oC. The f ish separated f ish were givenEnteroquinol (Quiniodochlor) powder soakedtubifex feed in the morning for controlling theprotozoan’s and Oxytetracycline hydrochloride& vitamin-B powder soaked tubifex feed given in

Fig. 4. Oscar infected with white spot disease

In a similar case, during January 2010. Formalinbath treatment was given (0.2ppt dose) forf ive-minute every day.Metronidazole soaked tubifex feed given for f ivedays along with daily water exchange. In two daysthe spot disappeared completely only to reappearagain in one month in February 2010. Formalinbath treatment was replaced by bath treatmentwith Malachite green (2ppm) for f ive days. Thespot disappeared completely and the f ish wascured completely from 6th day onwards.This infection is quite common to aquariumf ishes and caused mainly during cold season. Inmost of the cases acute infection ofIchthyophthirius multif ilis is seen to cause themaximum damage in brooders, their eggs andlarvae.Case-IIb. Trichodiniasis (Trichodina spp.)Discus stock maintained at ARHMC, Pailan, westBengal revealed that the disease Trichodina sp.and Ichthyophthirius multif ilis was found inDiscus adult brooders, wherein white patchdeveloped on one of the lateral side of the body.The f ish was treated with KMnO4 and also

Fig. 2. Isolation of body swab

Fig. 3. Microscope view of Ichthyoptheriusmultif ilis from redline torpedo

the evening for probable bacterial infection forf ive consecutive days with 40% water exchangedaily. Four days later, the f ish seems to be in muchbetter condition, the eyes had regained its normalshape and structure to a great extent. The Fishbecame completely normal after one week


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treated with ‘Swasti’ (Product developed byAHRC). However, the f ish was dead later on. Theimmediate microscopic examination revealed thepresence of Trichodina sp. and Ichthyophthiriusmultif ilis. The rest of the f ish though seems tobe unaffected were immediately removed toseparate tank with 100% water exchange andtreated with mild dose of methyline blue andformalin. Followed, 40% water exchange wasdone for one week regularly and no mortality wasobserved after the treatment.Case- IIIc. Whirling disease (Myxosoma cerebralis)This disease has been reported from Kerala,Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The mainsymptoms are whirling movement of the f ish;malformation of vertebral column, cranium etc,and it is quite common in angel f ishes.Treatment: The best remedy is to discard theinfected f ish, so as to stop the spreading of thedisease to other tank mates.Treatment: Dip treatment in saltwater, increasein temperature about 28-30°C, treatment ofinfected f ish by low dosage of kanamyacin in theinitial stage mightCase- IVd. Hole in the head diseaseIn November 2009 a white spot appeared incentral head region of a Discus brood f ish in oneof the segregated brood pair. The location andthe external appearance of the spot indicatedtowards the common well-known ‘hole in thehead’ disease infection of Discus caused byHexamita protozoan. However to avoid handlingstress to the brooder, no conf irmatorymicroscopic test was done to conf irm the disease.Treatment: As precautionary measure the f ishwas immediately given tubifex soaked inmetranidazole solution one time daily for f ivedays with 40% daily water exchange after whichthe movement of the f ish became normal again.The spot started fading out from third day oftreatment the spot completely disappeared by10days. The cured f ish also started to participate Fig. 5. Argulus sp.

in breeding in one month of time in lateNovember for the f irst time.Case- Ve. Neon Tetra disease (NTD):This disease is mainly reported from Mumbai,this may be due to reason that many breeders areusing live feed which and collected from the localsewage system. This disease is also called aspleistophora disease, caused by a sporozoancaused by Pleistophora hyphessobryconis. Despitebeing a well-known condition, it is currentlyincurable and often fatal to the f ish. The diseasecycle beginswhen microsporidian parasite spores enter thef ish after it consumes infected material, such astissues of a dead f ish, or live tubifex, which mayserve as intermediate hosts. This disease is mostlikely passed from newly acquired f ish, whichhave not been quarantined.Symptoms include restlessness, loss of coloration,lumps on the body as cysts develop, diff icultyswimming, curved spines as the diseaseprogresses and secondary infections, such as f inrot and bloating. Treatment: mainly in a long bath in Metheleneblue (1g/100lt) for 1-2 hours may cure in the initialstage.Case-VIf. Argulosis (Argulus sp.; Fig. 5): Commonlycalled f ish louse, these ectoparasites are mainlyfound in the f ishes fed with live feed likebloodworms, tubif ix etc. This disease was mainlyreported from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala,Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

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Treatment: Potassium permanganate diptreatment in initial stage or Dimilin at differentconcentration depending upon the intensity ofinfection and size of the f ish is used for treatmentfor both Argulus and Anchor worm infection.Dimiln is used by the ornamental f ish breedersof Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra& Andhra Pradesh.Case-VIIh. Nematode infectionIn August 2009 at Kolkata, in Danisonibarb(Kerala Queen), stomach was f lat andinwardly drawn then others and little slimmer.They were not feeding well. Microscopicexamination from the body scrapping did notshowed any parasite. Gradually it became thinnerthan the rest of the others. It was isolated fromthe rest. 20 days later in September it died.Presence of a Nematode Helminthes near theupper esophagus close to the gills was foundduring autopsy. It probably grew at that place toenormous size gradually choking its feedingpathway leading it to death. Case-VIIIi. Gill Fluke (Dactlyogyrus spp.)They are oviparous monogeneans that have twopairs of anchors, which can be used to latch ontothe gills of a host, particularly freshwater f ishsuch as carp. In heavily infectedf ish, Dactylogyrus can also be found on thebuccal cavity. Other characteristicslike, Dactylogyrus include the appearance of foureye-spots, 14 marginal hooks, one to twoconnective bars and two needle-like structuresand spindle-shaped dactylogyrid-type seminalvesicles.During November 2009 few among the new Milkcarp stock procured was found to be overactiveand jumping at AHRC, Pailan, creating sound inthe body of the plastic tank of the hatchery. Thusthey were shifted to the cemented circular tankfrom plastic tank to provide them darker placewhere they would be more comfortable onDecember 2009, one week later. Even aftershifting, it was found that sometimes they were

Fig. 7. Koicarp infected with Anchor worm

The affected f ish will remain unscathed, but theywill not able to produce offspring for a longerperiod. Once the life cycle of the anchor worm isbroken, the female will eventually die and thef ish should recover as it is not wise to attempt toremove the parasite from the f ish (mainly Anchorworm) as it will potentially lead to secondaryinfection. Hand picking for high value speciesmay one the option and disinfecting the entiretank.

The symptoms are mainly restless with erraticswimming behavior and loose appetite;ulceration at attach muscle visible with naked eyelike “louse”.Treatment: It is recommended that to disinfectthe entire tank, a dip treatment of the infectedf ish may help in the initial state of infection.Dimiln is used by the ornamental f ish breedersof Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtraand Andhra Pradesh.g. Anchor Worm (Lernia sp.; Fig. 6): This diseasehas also been indentif ied at Howrah duringmonsoon period. Anchor worms are tiny threadlike crustaceans that bury themselves under thescales of Koi carp, which then become parasitic.Anchor worms can greatly reduce the f ishstrength and increase the chances of secondaryinfection. They can be seen through naked eyes,however may be overlooked as an Anchor worm,the use of magnifying glass will help to conf irmthe Anchor worm presence.


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jumping and swimming near the wall of the tank.There were absolutely no signs of any abnormalityin the external body or f ins. All the f ishes werefed as per their demand. After 10 days two milkcarp died. Other f ishes found to be more sluggishand feeble. In f ive days three f ish died. The saidf ish was dissected and white patches found inthe gills and were covered with more slime. Theslime and gills segment were observed under themicroscope. Severe infection of Ichthyoptheriusmultif ilies and Dactylogyrus were observed.These infections caused severe respiratoryproblem leads death to f ish. The reason for theirover activeness may be due to itching problemfor the presence of these microbes at the time ofprocurement. Treatment: The f ish were separated in a cleantank, they were given Enteroquinol(Quiniodochlor) powder soaked Tokyo dry feedin the morning for protozoans andOxytetracycline hydrochloride & vitamin-Bpowder soaked tubifex feed in evening forprobable bacterial infection for seven consecutivedays with 40% water exchange daily. All the tanksin hatchery were washed with hot salt water, hugewater exchange and formalin treatment weredone in all tanks and aquaria in the said off ice asa precautionary measures. The remaining livef ishes got cured in two week.Infection of nematode and protozoan in MilkCarpDuring Feb’2010 the gold f ish spawn and fry(especially between 1 to 3 cm) Microscopicexamination of gill and body scraping revealedinfestation helminthes (Dactylogyrus).Treatment: The spawn were treated with salt bathand mild dose of albandazole gave considerablygood recovery results.Case IXj. Cotton wool disease (Saprolegnia sp.): This is avery common disease during monsoon season.The common f ishes affected are gold f ish, kissinggourami, angles etc. This disease was reportedby a hobbyist from Bengaluru, Karnataka. Thef ishes mainly affected are typically feeds on wastefrom f ish or other dead cells and they will also

take advantage of creatures that have been injuredor compromised eggs. When they inhabit a liveanimal, they exhibit as a fungal infection knownas mycoses.Saprolegnia is generally a secondary pathogen,though in the right circumstances, it can act asprimary. It is mostly targeting f ishes frequently,both in wild and captivity. Through cellularnecrosis andother epidermal damage, Saprolegnia will spread across the surface of itshost as a cotton-like f ilm. Though it is often staysin the epidermal layers, the mould does notappear to be tissue specif ic. Saprolegnia infectionis usually fatal, eventuallycausing haemodilution, though the time to deathvaries depending on the initial site of theinfection, rate of growth and the ability of theorganism to withstand the stress of the infection.Fin rot and mouth fungus are all opportunisticinfections that can occur when f ish are stressedor injured. In some situations, f ish may contractmore than one of these diseases anddistinguishing between them is often diff icult.Fortunately for the aquarist, there are numerousmedications available that will treat all threemaladies equally well.Treatment: Combinations of formalin andmalachite green are particularly popular and willtreat a range of fungal and bacterial pathogens,but as stated earlier, such medications can beharmful to certain types of livestock, so theyshould always be used with care.Case Xk. Dropsy: This disease problem was faced by ahobbyist from Bengaluru, Karnataka. This willbe caused by Aeromonas hydrophila.Accumulation of water in the body cavity or inscale pockets, followed the scale becomes looseand abdomen swollen.Symptoms: This disease is characterized by aswollen or hollow abdomen (Ascites).Concentration of f luid in the body tissues andcavities causes the f ish’s abdomen to becomeswollen and appear bloated. Swollen areas mayexhibit a ‘pine-cone’ appearance caused by thef ish’s scales sticking out. It can be observed this

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by viewing the f ish from the top and the f ishmay also stop feeding, appear off-colour, becomelistless and/or lethargic, have sunken eyes, andhang at the top or stay at the bottom of theaquarium. The condition affects the f ish’s internalorgans, ceasing proper function.Causes: Dropsy is fairly easy to diagnose non-specif ically, however, it is much harder todiagnose the cause. The main cause is bacterialinfection. The causative agent may be introducedthrough food or dirty water. Edema second tokidney failure or ascites due to liver or heartfailure are other possible causes.Treatment: Dropsy is not very contagious;however, if a f ish is diagnosed with dropsy, it isimportant to remove it from the aquarium/ pondbecause the infected f ish will contaminate thewater and end up dying. Dropsy can spread fromthe ill f ish, possibly causing stress among theother f ishes of the tank community. This extrastress may make the others vulnerable to dropsyor other forms of disease. Treatment may consistof herbal and non antibiotics targeting thecausative agent, as many of the regular antibioticsis not effective on aeromonas. The herbal extractsare mainly from the mangrove plants developedat AHRC, Pailan which are effectively used forthe treatment. They work best in the very earlystages of dropsy. A more hands-on approach isto raise the aquarium’s temperature for a fewdegrees - slightly higher than usual. AddingEpsom salts (Magnesium sulfate) to the water (ata rate of 20 mg/L) helps to encourage the f ish toexpel unnecessary damaging fluids.Case XIl. Fin and tail rot (Pseudomonas sp.) and Skinulcer disease (Psudomonas aeroginosa)

It was reported in AHRMC research centre,Pailan, West Bengal. Fin & tail rots and skin ulcerdisease along with infected eye was observed inPearl spot. Ulceration seen on the body surface,f in rot appeared in pectoral and caudal f in,mouth fungus observed and the eyes turnedwhitish opaque. The f ish seems to have lost itsbalance and were floating in surface water. Some

salt was given to the aquarium to adjust thesalinity to 4 ppt as this f ish are brackish water inorigin, followed, two f ish that lost its balance anddied on the subsequent days. Next day, bodyscrapping and swab was examined undermicroscope and no external parasite seen. Thescrapping and swab was subjected tomicrobiological test bacterial culture.Treatment: The f ish were given bath treatmentfor f ive consecutive days in 5% methyline bluesolution (15drop), SWASTI, ten drops and 10 gmcommon salt in 2.5 liters of water for f ive minutes.Aplicap gel (Chloromycitine) directly applied toeyes for three days and 2 drops formalin also givento aquarium water. The f ish started to recover on3rd day onward and were cured completely as seenon 7th day and were readjusted in fresh water.Case XIIm. Tumors in fishesIn March 2010 a gold f ish was sent to the lab ofARHMC by an ornamental farmer from Falta,South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. The f ish had atumor on the left side near the dorsal f in.Thereason for growth of tumor has many causes likeunhealthy environment mainly rich in arsenic.Many of the times it was reported mainly in Goldf ish and Koi and it has been removed surgicallyand after surgery it has to be protected fromsecondary infections.In one of the case in gold f ish, although the f ishshowed no sign of distress except losing itsswimming balance a bit, the tumor was surgicallyremoved through a minor operation.Mercurochrome (2%) was applied immediatelyat the operated zone for a few minutes and thenthe f ish was liberated in 10 liter water with highdose of antibiotic (500 mg TetracyclineHydrochloride) and 1 drop of formalin (40%solution) and 1 drop of methylene blue (5%solution). It was feed a little 4 hours later. Thef ish was kept there with high aeration for threedays. Then it was transferred to another freshwater tank with mild dose of same antibiotic and2 drops of methyline blue. The f ish wascompletely normal from next day and fednormally. Histopathological section of the tumor


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Fig. 8. Tumor in gold f ish (operated tumor in inset) Histopathologicalsection, after operation

operated was observed after H E (haematoxylene-eosin) staining under 200 X magnif ication(Olympus CK-2 inverted). Spindle shapednucleus with tissue degeneration and necrosis

seen. The f ish continued to live normally withoutany sign illness. The f ish slowly recovered fromthe injury.

Case XIII

n. Death due to choking: This was reported bya farmer in Howrah, when the f ish was dissectedit showed the crab inside the esophagus region.

Case XIVDuring December 2009, at AHRC, Pailan, therewas an attack of the dragon fly nymph mainlydangerous to the newly spawn angel f ish.

Treatment: Manual removal was found to be theonly solution.

Case XVDisease of other species of ornamentalimportanceTrematode growth on ornamental yellowsnailIn April 2010, an Ornamental f ish breeder andkeeper Shri. Joyanta mondal of Howrah Dist. wstBengal came to the research station came with aproblem of growth of a rapid gelatinous growthon the shell surface of ornamental snail. Ommicroscopic examination it was seen to besedentary colony has developed on the surfacewhich are attached to the substratum yet hashighly motile structure some of which are freelymoving among the tentacular structure. Though

they were yet to be identif ied upto species level,they were found highly sensitive to common salt.Treatment: With application of salt solution in avery low dose of 5 ppt, the colony almostdisappeared in 24 hours. The shell becamecompletely fresh in three days of time.

CONCLUSIONSAddressing the disease is very important inornamental f ish culture as there is a growingdemand for them in both domestic andinternational markets. A necessary preventivemeasure has to be taken like quarantining thenew f ishes before introducing them with theexisting stock. Prevention by means of goodhusbandry and maintaining water quality are keysto prevent the diseases.The OIE (world Organization for Animal Health)notif iable listed diseases include:• Epizootic haemopoietic necrosis (EHN)• Infectious haemopoietic necrosis (IHN)• Spring viraemia of carp (SVC)• Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS)• Infectious Salmon anaemia (ISA)• Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS)• Gyrodactylus salaries• Redsea bream Iridovirus (RSIV)• Koi Herpes Virus (KHV)

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Major medicines used in ornamental f isheriesare veterinary medicines of which may arebanned for aqua systems, there is a need forresearch on identif ication, measures anddevelopment of specif ic medicines for f ishes. One point worth to mention that most of thelosses that the farmers observes in our exportbusiness is when they does not adhere to therequirements of the quality considerations withregards to the size of the f ish and because ofimproper handling and transportation of f ish.Secondly, the high mortality of the f ish andinvertebrates from the collection point to thetime of reaching the aquarium is also a majorhindrance.In India there is a lot of research in f isheries beingdone in the country, which is acclaimed globallybut it is conf ined to research journals and nottransferred to the f ield. We still lack neededresearch input on f ish medicine, ahead of theirintroduction by the farming community. Localsurvey speaks that majority of the farmers arenot knowing much about the research institutesand as in other neighboring countries f isheryrelated institutes have a commercial cell whichis accessible to farmers in respect of their needs.The research institutes, state f isheriesdepartment and the industry people should sittogether under one roof to address the statespecif ic problems and only demand drivencollaborative research may be undertaken by theResearch Institutes. To fully take the advantageof the booming ornamental f ish trade, technicalknowhow should be imparted to those interestedwith on-hands training.NFDB has organized a one day workshop on“Integrated Development of Ornamental FishProduction and Marketing” on 18-10-2011 atNFDB, Hyderabad and have also conducted stakeholders meetings in the Chennai, Tamil Naduon 23.12.2011, Mumbai, Maharashtra on 28.12.2011and Kolkata, West Bengal on 30.12.2011 to identifythe felt needs of the ornamental f ish industry inthe country.

“Few steps to quality f ish healthmanagement”1. Learn about your animals: understand thebasic natural history, biology and husbandryrequirements of the f ish. Such informationshould include – country and environment oforigin, life cycle, maximum size, behavior in thewild and captivity, temperature and requiredwater quality parameters, key breedingrequirements, captive husbandry requirements,common diet and feeding frequency, commonsign of disease etc…2. Exclusion of pathogen – the procedurestypically focus on reducing the risks associatedwith various potential routs of disease entry andestablishing and effective quarantine protocol forall new introductions. The most importantpathways for pathogen entry are associated withf ish/water/food/people/equipment.3. Workout with the problem : when a diseaseoutbreak occurs - this is the actual time to bepanic. Examine the overall situation with coolhead. Address any immediate life threateningproblems f irst suggest lack of power and waterflow and then make a proper disease diagnosis.Finally identify all the potential contributingfactors that may associated with the diseaseoutput.4. Identify reliable scientif ic institutions –ensure that adequate disease diagnosticlaboratories available that can provide a timelyand proper disease diagnosis and prescription fortreatment.5. Quarantine – quarantine is the criticalcomponent of pathogen exclusion. The major rolequarantine is to prevent the introduction ofpathogens directly. Quarantine also provides forthe important process of acclimation of f ish newwater conditions, new husbandry protocols andnew feeds. Quarantine period also allows timefor the f ish immune system to recuperate fromthe stresses of transport and handling.An understanding of these key areas is essentialto develop a sustainable ornamental industry.


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REFERENCESErwin, A. 1997. Translated by - D. A. convoy and R.L.

Herman. Textbook of Fish Disease - ProtozoanDisease. 179-206.

Gupta , S. and Banerjee, S. 2008. Ornamental FishTrade in West Bengal, Fishing Chimes, 28 (8): 25-27.

Joseph, I. 2011. Global Trade structure of ornamentalf ishes- an overview. Fishing Chimes, 30: 76-77.

Leena Nair 2012. Export of Ornamental Fishes andDevelopment al Intervention by MPEDA, TheOrnamentals Kerala 2012-Souviner, pp 57-60.

Mukherjee, M. 2005. Diseases Problem and relatedissues of Ornamental f ish. Colored f ish in watergarden-A status report of West Bengal. MPEDA &Dept. of F isheries, Govt. of West Bengalpublication, pp. 34-156.

In the above meeting majority of participantsrequested for the following:a. Literature on the hatchery management,culture practices, disease management ofornamental f ishes has to be published andcirculated to the states engaged in this activity.b. Therefore, laboratories for disease diagnosisand soil and water testing have to be established,in those states where the trade of ornamentalf ishes is signif icant.c. The sector lacks reliable data base on theproduction, export, species cultured and traded,list of producers, hatcheries, exporters etc.Similarly, the documentation of the breedingtechniques, success stories is not happening inan organized way. Hence efforts in this directionhave to be initiated.d. As far as possible, the producers may beorganized into clusters and these clusters shouldbe organized into societies.e. Further, infrastructure such as acclimatizationfacilities and quarantine has to be developed atinternational airports to promote export trade.f. States where ornamental f isheries has alreadydeveloped such as Tamil Nadu, West Bengal maydevelop a good marketing network for theeff icient / effective trade of ornamental f ishes inthe domestic as well as the international markets.

Mukherjee, M. and Dutta, S. 2005. MicroenterpriseDevelopment Through Micro-credit: A Unique Stepfor Development of Ornamental Fish Industry andWomen Fishers of Ornamental Fish Industry andWomen Fishers in Kolkata, Coloured Fish In WaterGarden- A Status Report of West Bengal, Publishedby MPEDA & Department of F isheries,Aquaculture, Aquatic Resources And FishingHarbour, Govt of West Bengal, P: 101-122.

Mukherjee. M. et al. 2000. Problems and prospects ofaquarium f ish trade in West Bengal, FishingChimes, 90-93.

Rodgers, L.J.Burke J.B. Ulcer disease in f ish. ResearchReport, 1976-1977, Queensland, Fisheries Service,1977, 12-14.

Shuzo Egusa. 1991. Oxonion press Pvt Ltd.1991Translation of “Sakana no kansensho”, koseishakoseikaku Co. Ltd., Tokyo, 1978. White spot diseaseof fresh water f ish. 454-465.

Suzuki J. 1935. On the reproduction ofIchthyophthirius multif ilis fouquet in relation towater temperature. Bull. Japan Soc. Sci. Fish. 3: 265-272.

Wagner G. 1960. Der Entwicklungszyklus onIchthyophthirius multif ilis Fouquet under einflussphysikalischer and chemischer Aussenfaktoren. Z.Fisch. N.F. 9: 253-255.

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