DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY FOR ORNAMENTAL FISH AQUACULTURE IN SOUTH-AFRICA

After photograph, keeping ornamental fish is the second biggest hobby in the US. It is estimated that the global trade is worth US$1.6 billi on annually.(1) Due to the environmental lobby, against the harvest of wild fish and the increasing problems of disease and water quality ex perienced by ornamental fish farmers in Asia, an opportunity exists fo r South Africa to develop its ornamental fish farming sector Research is being conducted at Rhodes University to develop intensive culture t echniques for both freshwater and marine ornamental fish. The temperat e nature of the South African climate necessitates that fish from trop ical areas are cultured either indoors or in plastic-covered horticult ural tunnels. Key factors determining the production of ornamental liv ebearing Poeciliids in tunnel systems have been quantified, laying the foundation for an economically viable technology. Research into the p roduction of marine tropical fish and African freshwater species has t o date focused on hatchery technology. Breeding and larval rearing tec hniques for Knysna seahorses, pipefishes, and a number of damsel fish species are currently being developed. The technologies being research ed are suitable for rite development of small and medium-size enterpri ses.