3.

FISHERIES SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

AQUARIUM FABRICATION AND ORNAMENTAL FISH PRODUCTION

Course Teacher: Dr. Dushyant Kumar Damle

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Aquaculture

3.1 OVERVIEW ON ORNAMENTAL FISHERIES

Ornamental Fisheries of India, Inland and marine waters in India possess a rich diversity
of ornamental fish, with over 195 indigenous varieties reported from North-East Region and
Western Ghats, and nearly 400 species from marine ecosystems.

The major fish exported from India are of wild varieties collected from rivers of the
North-East and Southern States that contribute about 85% to the total export of all types of
ornamental fish from the country. Among the 195 reported fish species from the North-East
Region, 155 species are of ornamental value. The region also exhibits exceptional biodiversity
and high degree of endemism with respect to freshwater ornamental fishes. Prominent among
them are Loaches, Eels, Barbs, Catfish, and Goby.

On the other hand, the Western Ghats of India is one of the 34 ‘Biodiversity Hotspot’
Areas of the World. Among the total freshwater fishes reported from the Western Ghats, 40 are
of ornamental value of which 37 species are endemic to the Western Ghats.

The marine aquarium trade has developed into a vibrant multimillion-dollar industry
offering livelihood prospects to people who depend on the coral reef ecosystems. Potential
marine ornamental fish species resources are Clown Fish, Damsel Fish, Moorish Idol, Lion Fish,
Parrot Fishes, Box Fishes or Trunk Fishes, Marine Angels, Butterfly Fish, Cleaner Wrasse,
Cardinal Fishes, Sergeant Fishes/ Unicorn Fish, Rabbit Fish, Squirrel Fish, Scorpion Fish,
Blennies, Sand-smelt Fish and Seahorse. Indian ornamental fish trade mostly deals with
freshwater fish (90%) of which 98% are cultured and 2% are captured from wild. The remaining
10% are marine fishes of which 98% are captured and 2% culture. Majority of the Ornamental
Fish Breeders in India breed exotic fishes and very few breed indigenous, marine and brackish
water fish. Goldfish has the highest preference among hobbyists and hence its breeding
dominates the Indian Ornamental Fish Sector. Apart from the common Live-bearer varieties,
breeders prefer to breed highly specialized varieties such as Oscar, Flower Horn, Tetras, Discus
and Cichlids.

Ornamental fishes of India are contributing about 1% of the total ornamental fish trade.
These fishes are exported to the tune of 69.26 tons, having the value of Rupees 566.66 crores in
2014-15. On an average, an annual growth rate of about 11% has been recorded during the
period 1995 to 2014.

India has great potentials in ornamental fish production due to the presence of rich
biodiversity of species, favorable climatic conditions and availability of cheap labour. Kerala,
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal mainly practice ornamental fish farming in India.

The ornamental species are categorized into indigenous and exotic. Availability of a vast
number of native species has contributed significantly to the development of ornamental fish
industry in the country. North-eastern is with potential indigenous species. About 90% of native
species (85% are from northeast India) are collected are reared to meet export demand. Presently,
nearly about 100 native species are reared as aquarium fish. There is also a great demand for
exotic species due to its color, shape and appearance. More than 300 exotic species are covered
in the ornamental fish trade, but a greater demand for this exists. About 200 species are bred in
India and 90% of exports from India go from Kolkata followed by 8% from Mumbai and 2%
from Chennai.

3.2 ORNAMENTAL FISH TRADE: GLOBAL SCENARIO

Global exports of ornamental fish since 2000 grown steadily from US$177.7 million to a
peak of US$364.9 million in 2011, afterwards slightly declined to US$347.5 million in 2014
(INFOFISH, 2016). The biggest exporter of ornamental fishes in the world is Singapore followed
by Malaysia, Indonesia and Czech Republic. The largest import markets for tropical fish are
U.S.A, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Singapore and others in which 60.3% of the supplier are
Asian countries.
ExportMarket   2018-19 2019-20

Quantity in ton 48 46

Value in Crore 8.12 8.78

Total US$ Million 1.47 1.84

(MPEDA, 2019-20)
3.3 ORNAMENTAL FISH TRADE: CHHATTISGARH SCENARIO

Chhattisgarh is blessed with a number of natural resources including productive water in

the form of rivers, tanks, reservoirs and pond etc. Major part of Chhattisgarh lies in the
catchment of Mahanadi and Godavari River system (Patel et al., 2012). A total 100 ornamental
fish species have been reported from river Mahanadi (Singh et al., 2013) and sixteen fish species
of ornamental importance have been identified from Shivnath river (Dev et al., 2008).
Ornamental fish trade is limited to Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur wherein fishes are
procured form nearby states to meet the local demand. There is a vast scope for ornamental fish
culture on commercial scale as well as trading in the state.

3.4 FABRICATION OF GLASS AQUARIUM TANK

For aquarium fabrication, a glass of 4mm thickness was used. The aquarium was given a
square shape with each side of dimension 30 x 30 cm.

3.4.1 Requirements for Fabrication of Aquarium

1. Glass pane
2. Silicon gum
3. Gun
4. Thread and tape
5. Thermocol

3.4.2 FABRICATION PROCESS FOLLOWED –

Part 1 of 3: Choosing and Prepping the Glass

1. Decide which aquarium size is fit for your needs.

If you only have a few fish or a small tarantula, you won't need an aquarium that takes
up the length of the wall. If you have a veritable pool of fish you need to house or a large iguana
that may be a different story. Since you're making the aquarium, you get to call the shots.
  If you're placing water into the tank, remember that water is very heavy – about 10
pounds per gallon. You may want to go on the smaller side just to keep it more portable.
There are some neat calculators available online, too, if you're stumped.
 Aquariums can also double as neat tables or shelves. If that's the case, measure the area
you want to place it in to determine the right size.
 If you choose, for example, a 14" long aquarium, the sides should be around 13 1/2-"
long to account for them fitting into the front and back pieces.

2. Use annealed glass.

This is also known as "plate" or "sheet" glass. Although annealed glass breaks into
chunks and slivers, its superior strength makes it a good choice for aquarium building.

 Do not use tempered glass (it usually has an identifiable etch mark in the corner). It is not
strong enough. Laminated glass, toughened glass, and polycarbonate plastic are all other
"okay" options, but they're subpar compared to annealed glass.
 If only one side of your aquarium is going to involve glass, a combination of glass and
fiberglass will work.
 Upon purchasing your glass, ask the glass shop to sand or grind the edges so it doesn't
end up cutting you.

Fig. Use annealed glass

3. Choose the thickness of your annealed glass.

If your aquarium is going to be full of water, you'll likely need to err on the side of
caution and go with thicker glass. 12" full of water is very different than 12" not full of water. If
you're keeping it empty, even up to 14" could be fine with 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) thick glass. Here are
the general guidelines.

Thickness of glass – 6mm

Height – 18 inch

Length-18 inch

4. Get the rest of your equipment together.

You'll need:

 100% silicone sealant

 Many people say that "aquarium silicone sealant" is the only sealant you should consider.
Although it's rather expensive, it is a good choice, partly because it lacks anti-mildew
chemicals often in standard silicone sealants that can be toxic to fish over time. Regular
household silicone like GE Door & Window clear silicone, Dow-Corning "DAP", and
Napa All-Glass 100% clear silicone are also viable options. And if it comes in the size
that fits in your caulk gun, even better.
 Masking or duct tape
 A few large containers or heavy objects for holding up the glass
 Fig. Arrange all the requirements
5. Arrange your glass pieces in an open area.

Put the bottom piece of the glass down, surrounded by the front, back, and sides.
Remember that the sides should be just shorter than the final measurement so they can snugly fit
into the length between the front and back (those will go up first).

 The difference in thickness should be twice the size of the glass. If you have 1/4" inch
thick glass, your side pieces should be 1/2" in shorter (to account for the 1/4" on either
side).

Fig. Arrange your glass pieces in an open area

Part 2 Assembling Your Aquarium

1. Apply the silicone.

Start with the bottom piece, applying a thin and continuous strip of silicone along the top,
about 2mm away from the edge (where the front pane of glass will rest on it). The strip of
silicone should be about 3mm in diameter.

 If you're not used to using a caulk gun, practice beforehand making even lines on
something else, like newspaper or cardboard.
 When you go to cut the top of the tube, aim for a 3mm opening to control the size of your
output.
  Be sure to work quickly; silicone sets in 2-3 minutes.

Fig. Apply the silicone gel

2. Put the front pane in place.

With the strip of silicone along the front edge of the base, place the front piece of glass
into place, pressing it down firmly but gently. Hold it there briefly, adheres the rest of the tape up
the sides and it should stay up. If you're worried about it falling over, you can prop it up with a
large container filled with water or some other heavy object. Don’t wipe off the excess silicone
just yet. You can take care of it after it's cured.

Fig. Put the front pane in Fig place

3. Begin assembling the sides.

With your caulk gun in hand, run another thin line of silicone (again, 2 mm from the
edge), along the sides. Then repeat along the inside edge of the front pane (remember: the side
pieces are fitting not only into the bottom, but sandwiched in between the front and back).

 Press the first side piece into place, firmly but gently. You should now have one corner of
your aquarium put together it.
 Try to avoid realigning the piece – if you do, you could create bubbles in the silicone,
leading to leaking later on.
 Repeat this for the other side, too.

Fig. Begin assembling the sides

4. Finish with the back pane of glass.

Now that you're getting the hang of the caulk gun, run your last 3mm-wide lines of
silicone along the edge of the bottom pane (2mm from the edge) and along the inside edges of
the back panel.
  Press it firmly, yet gently, into place. Lift up the tape to support and prop as needed.

Fig. Finish with the back pane of glass

5. Allow the silicone to dry and set.

Most types of silicone dry within 24-48 hours. It will harden even more as time goes on,
so if you can resist, don't fill it with water for a good week or so.

Fig. Allow the silicone gel to dry and set

Part 3 Setting Up the Inside

1. Test the seals.

Before you go about assembling a masterpiece in your aquarium, it's best to see if your
craftsmanship holds up. Fill the tank with a few inches of water. Let it sit a minute. If it doesn't
leak, continue on with assembly.
If it does leak, empty the aquarium immediately. Let it dry, and then reseal the problem areas.
You may also want to assume there are problems near the top too, and fix those as well.

Fig. Test the seals

2. Fill your aquarium with gravel, sand, or whatever your creatures require.

Most fish will be good with either gravel or sand, and any pet store will offer you a
plethora of choices when it comes to texture and color. Whatever you use, 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6
cm) should be plenty.

 Gravel does need to be washed before placing it into the aquarium. It has a tendency to
acquire dust, which is something you do not want in your water.

Fig. Fill the aquarium with gravels, water and other accessories

Fig. complete aquarium setup

3.5 Aquarium Accessories-

A. Filters
Fish is constantly discharging its urinary and fecal waste in aquarium water and uneaten
food. All this increases ammonia load in water, which becomes toxic to fish. To control this
either one is having to constantly change water or use water filters.
1. Under gravel filter or biological filter
2. Sponge filter

B. Different Type of Other Accessories Used in Aquarium

2. Aquarium Gravels

Gravel is the most common bed material. It is not only provides surface for aqua scarping but
also provides rooting surface for the plants as well as serve as a good habitat for the helpful
microbes.

Fig. Filter Fig. Gravel

3. Silicon Gun

Silicon adhesive is currently used in fabricating an all – glass aquarium.

4. Submersible pump

A submersible pump ,first intake water ,where rotation of the impeller pushes the water through
the diffuser. From there it goes to the surface. It provide aeration to the aquarium tank.
 Fig. Silicon gun Fig. Submersible heater

5- indoor plants & original plants

Indoor plants were used in hydroponic system as a decoratives.

Natural plants can decay under water while plastics plants sustain for longer duration.

Fig. Aerator Fig. Plastic plants

6. Hood

No aquarium is completed without a glass cover or nontoxic hood. It should fit loosely on top of
the aquarium to allow circulation of air. Apart from checking fish to jumping out, covers on
aquarium slow up loss of water by evaporation and stops a lot of dust and other bodies from
getting in.
7 . background poster

A background creates dimension for a tank as well as theme and it creates a luxury vision
infused with nature.

Fig. Hood preparation & hood and background poster