Something to sea in Andheri

Devil fish

A long time ago, when we had been living on our own in Delhi and lamenting about the loneliness that entailed, a friend had suggested to us, "Why don't you keep a goldfish?" That way, at least we'd have a living being at home to assuage some of our solitariness, she'd explained. And that's pretty much the reason why people practise the hobby of ornamental fish keeping, says Lourdes Fernandes, owner of A Mart Aquatic World, one of the biggest importers of pet fish in the country. "See, sitting in front of an aquarium is like sitting in front of a lake or the sea. It's a stress-relieving exercise that brings you closer to nature. If you have had a long day at work, you come back home and sit before a tank with a cup of tea, you will feel more at peace," he tells us.

Lourdes Fernandes

And he adds that it is to spread this very thought that he's now organising World of Fish, a first-of-its kind exhibition in the city that will showcase over 2,000 fish from 400 different species, displayed in 140 tanks at an Andheri venue. These include ghost fish, which is a large, black species; devil fish, named so because it's exceptionally unattractive and aggressive looking; giant gourami and albino pacu, both of which resemble an albino in colour; and tiger eel that have sharp teeth.

But when we ask him how he feels about the threat to marine life, Fernandes tells us how it's a different case with ornamental fishes since most of these are raised in captive breeding, which, instead of putting a species at risk, ensures that their numbers are multiplied through a series of scientific methods. "For example, if you take the guppy fish, they are mammals. They are fish layers, not egg layers. But the females have a tendency of eating the baby fish once they are laid. With captive breeding, however, we ensure that the male species takes care of the species so that the eggs are safe and the numbers rise," he says, adding that apart from soaking in the beautiful species on display, visitors at World of Fish will also gain from picking up interesting trivia such as this.

ON June 5 to 9, 10 am to 8 pm
AT Bhavan's Nature and Adventure Centre, Munshi Nagar, Andheri West.
CALL 8655294633
ENTRY Rs 100

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