Exotic marine creatures in home aquariums

Aqua wonders
They suck, they sting, they even bite, but people are filling their aquariums with these exotic marine creatures
Tan Yi Hui, Straits Times 25 May 08;

Singapore may be one of the world's biggest exporters of ornamental fish, but here at home, something with a lot more bite than goldfish and guppies can be found lurking in living-room fish tanks.

Some fish collectors are now hooked on more exotic marine creatures - the type you would more usually see on your dinner plate than bobbing around your neighbour's aquarium.

Hermit crabs, seahorses and shrimps are some of the novelty creatures now making a splash as pets.

A few fish fanatics have even taken the plunge and are pampering stingrays - never mind that they have a poisonous barb that could stab the hand that feeds them.

Take Mr Lincoln Goh, a 33-year-old brand executive who lives in a bungalow with his parents. The bachelor has six freshwater rays housed in two tanks and an outdoor pond.

He has spent 'tens of thousands' on his hobby so far. No wonder, as one specimen can cost anything from $3,000 to $7,000.

The rays are high maintenance and not the easiest of fish to keep, he admits, but he adds: 'It's rewarding because they recognise who their owners are, and they are gorgeous to look at.'

Another sucker for stingers, account manager Eddy Poon, 37, says of his five rays: 'You see them on TV but never in your wildest dreams would you think that you can keep them.'

He became interested in them after his father, who is a fishing enthusiast, brought back photographs of marine rays.

Mr Goh and Mr Poon buy their rays from fellow hobbyists. The sale of rays in shops is banned, but not among private enthusiasts, even though industry regulator the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) discourages it.

Some ray-keepers sell surplus pets to others, rather than throw them back to nature. Athough rays are a foreign species, they are capable of adapting and breeding here. Indeed, The Straits Times reported last year that rays have been found in Singapore reservoirs.

Releasing animals into the wild is illegal and offenders can be fined up to $50,000, jailed up to six months, or both.

As for crabs, shrimps and seahorses, collectors here buy them from shops, although stocks don't come in very often.

Exotic aquarium species comprise under 10 per cent of all animals sold or exported, say industry insiders.

Singapore is a big fish in the global ornamental fish pond, with exports last year totalling about $100 million, says the AVA, while at home, keeping ornamental fish - fish bred to be pets or kept for decorative purposes - has really caught on.

As at 2005, there were 238 aquarium retail outlets, compared with 119 in 2000.

However, keeping exotic varieties in your home is a different kettle of fish, warn experts.

Such creatures, whether freshwater or saltwater, are not for beginners, they say. For example, ray-keeper Mr Goh points out that rays are very sensitive and one drop of medication for a goldfish can wipe out an entire tank of rays.

However, unusual freshwater shrimps are less complicated to care for, they point out.

Growing to just 2.5cm in size, these little critters come in different varieties. Most popular are Crystal Red Shrimps (CRS), known for their striking red and white markings.

These crustaceans are all the rage with owners such as Mr Benson Chia, 33. The bank executive, who lives with his wife and mother in an HDB flat, came across them in CRS Haven, a shop describing itself as a 'shrimp boutique' in Tampines. It specialises in various versions of CRS but also sells other varieties. It has over 30 different kinds of shrimps.

Mr Chia's wife and mum were sold the moment they set eyes on the tiny creatures. He started with a hardier species, the Cherry Shrimp, which cost about $1.50 to $2 each, and moved to his most expensive so far, a $15 Yellow Shrimp.

He now has about 30 to 40 shrimps at home in a tank just over half a metre long.

Mr Chia says: 'It's relaxing to watch them. When they breed and you see them carrying eggs, it's exciting.'

Another shrimp-lover, Mr Seddrick Teo, says: 'All these little fellows brighten up my day when I get home.'

The 35-year-old, who works in the advertising industry, has about 50 to 60 shrimps in his collection.

CRS Haven's owner Colin Chin, 24, reckons his is the only such shop here. It opened last August and since then, sales have jumped 50 per cent. Up to 20 new customers visit it each week.

Prices range from $1 a shrimp to $450 or more for a prized specimen, depending on the colour and pattern.

He says: 'You don't need a big tank. They are easier to keep than fish. But you need to know some general rules such as substrate (soil) and temperature.'

Mr Chin adds that he has seen more people converting from keeping fish to shrimps because they find the tiny creatures a lot cuter and more interesting.

Mr Conrad Chua, 37, founder of the Singapore Reef Club - a popular 11,000-member online forum for marine aquarium enthusiasts - says keeping exotic marine species 'is a rising trend', although it's still a niche group.

Mysterious and exotic

Indeed, Mr Daniel Tay, 46, from Jireh Marine Aquarium, says: 'Fish are quite boring so my shop is going for more exotic things.'

He points out, though, that while some seawater creatures such as shrimps and eels can be housed together with a reef community in a home aquarium, others such as seahorses and cuttlefish require their own tanks.

Jireh sells seahorses from 8 to 10cm in size for $35 each, and has about a dozen buyers in a week. This is up from only one a month, half a year ago. Their seahorses are tank-raised, not caught at sea.

Fish-lover Farida Ithnin, 42, a doctor, has recently fallen for the charms of seahorses. She introduced two into her $7,500 reef aquarium, but plans to start a separate enclosure for them soon.

The mother of four says: 'Seahorses look mysterious and exotic. My kids get very excited and they keep looking for them.'

Student Phuah Chee Chong, 19, used to keep cuttlefish and octopuses, but they either died because of his inexperience in tending them, or because of short life-spans - cuttlefish live for only about a year.

He spent $1,000 on them. His fondest memory: 'Once, while cleaning the tank, I frightened one of them so much it squirted black ink. The whole tank was black. I had to clean it up.'

For hardier animals, another student, Sharon Yap, 21, went for hermit crabs, which can live for up to 30 years if conditions are right.

'Sometimes they will do really interesting stuff so you can sit there and watch their antics,' she says. Her four specimens, costing $8 each, are housed in a small tank with sand and dishes of water for moisture. She feeds them fresh fruit and vegetables, and 'the occasional dead fish'.

But if you're thinking of taking the plunge into exotic water wonders, owners such as Ms Yap caution: 'You have to realise that there is a lot of research to do. It's for people who are more patient. It's not like fish where a lot of information is readily available.'

Mr Henry Ko, 55, owner of aquarium shop MarineLife at Hong Leong Garden Shopping Centre, sums it up: 'Don't buy on impulse. Such organisms are hard to get.

'When you bring them back and can't sustain them, it's a shame.'

Some are great escape artists
Straits Times 25 May 08;

Before you dive into your nearest fish shop to splash out on your own aquatic family, do your homework. Online forums such as Arofanatics.com and Sgreefclub.com (Singapore Reef Club) are good sources of information. Here are some things you need to know:

RAYS

Very sensitive to water conditions and chemicals. Avoid contact as they are poisonous and some species might be lethal. High maintenance and only for advanced hobbyists.

FRESHWATER SHRIMPS

Require cool temperatures - about 23 deg C. Can be kept with small fish, but avoid this if you intend to breed them. Fish will eat up the shrimp fry.

SEAHORSES

Need to be fed two to three times daily with frozen shrimps, available at shops. Best kept in isolation as they are slow feeders. As with all marine animals, a saltwater aquarium requires proper set-up and systems.

OCTOPUSES/CUTTLEFISH

In captivity, lifespans range from just six months to a year. Best kept in isolation as they are predatory. For octopuses, ensure your tank is well-covered as they can escape easily. Proper marine aquarium set-up and systems required.

HERMIT CRABS

The species sold here is semi-aquatic so they need a combination of sand and water, both salt- and freshwater. Ensure the sand is deep enough for burrowing. The tank must be securely covered as they are great escape artists.