KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: They have mood swings and they even sulk at times.
No, they are not moody teenagers but thousands of Arowana fish being bred at an aquaculture farm in Perak for export.
Their keeper and farm owner, Mohd Tahir Mohd Shah, said the fish would sulk if one cursed them for dying or being inflicted with diseases.
"When they are brooding, their production rate will fall," he laughed.
On a more serious note, Mohd Tahir said he first got involved in the fish business 15 years ago with a pioneer batch of eight Arowana, or popularly known as dragon fish.
Today, his patience and persistence have paid off and he has thousands of Arowanas in some 60 ponds. The fish are exported to Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and China.
Mohd Tahir first exported his Arowanas to these countries about three years ago and they have been enjoying brisk demand since then.
To maintain the quality of the fish, Mohd Tahir does not feed them pellets. Instead, their daily diet includes fresh frogs and crickets.
"With this diet, the fish scales are shinier and the fish are healthy."
To ensure a daily supply of frogs and crickets, Mohd Tahir and his staff would search for them at night and he claimed to get thousands of them.
On his future plans, Mohd Tahir said he would try to penetrate new markets including France, Dubai and Canada.
He said interest in Arowana was growing in these new markets and he was studying the viability of doing business there.
Explaining the popularity of the fish, Mohd Tahir said gold and red Arowana were in high demand as these were considered to be lucky colours.
It is believed that these fish could change one's luck because its scales are similar to that of a dragon.
This stems from the Chinese belief that the dragon is a symbol of luck and prosperity.
"Arowana have beautiful scales with different colours such as green, red, pearl and gold. Prices range between RM20 and RM1,000 per fish depending on the colour of the scales," said Mohd Tahir.
The popularity of the different colours varies from place to place.
The green Arowana for instance, is popular locally but not elsewhere. It is even considered unlucky, especially in Cantonese-speaking places like Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
The aquaculture farm in Kuala Kangsar has managed to maintain a steady supply of fish, thanks to about 1,000 "parent stock".
On "baby-sitting" the fish, Mohd Tahir said they were easy to care for.
When a fish falls sick, the affected batch would be immediately quarantined for up to two months if necessary.
"Disease is one of the main concerns when rearing ornamental fish like the Arowana," Mohd Tahir said.
Arowana also has its own natural predators like eagles, owls and otters.
Preventive measures taken to keep predators away include putting up fences and covering the ponds with nets.
Despite the challenges, Mohd Tahir has no regrets going into the business and is currently providing training for those who are interested to learn more about the ornamental fish trade.
The five-day course that he conducts, will teach trainees all they need to know about rearing arowana. They will also receive certificates upon completing the course.
