AQUARIUM FISH, A GROWING HOBBY IN KUWAIT (WITH PHOTOS) BY KHALED AL-ZAID KUWAIT, AUG 14 (KUNA) -- THE HOBBY OF COLLECTING AQUARIUM FISH IN KUWAIT IS AN OLD AND GROWING INFATUATION WITH THE BREATH-TAKING COLORS AND SHAPES OF THESE WATER CREATURES.
AQUARIUM FISH IS A POPULAR HOBBY AMONG ADULTS, TEENAGER AND CHILDREN ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY MEDITATING BY WATCHING THESE SWIMMING STRANGE, COLORFUL AND BEAUTIFUL CREATURES.
BEFORE THINKING OF BRINGING AN AQUARIUM FULL OF FISH HOME, ONE MUST PUT IN MIND THAT IT REQUIRES INVESTING TIME AND MONEY IN IT.
COMPANIES AND RESTAURANTS TEND TO PLACE AQUARIUMS FULL OF COLORFUL FISH IN THEIR WAITING ROOMS AND HALLS TO ATTRACT THEIR CUSTOMER'S ATTENTION.
THE HOBBY OF COLLECTING AQUARIUM FISH BEGAN IN THE SIXTEEN CENTURY IN CHINA THEN SPREAD ALL OVER THE GLOBE BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST COMMON HOBBIES IN THE WORLD.
AQUARIUM FISH IS IMPORTED FROM TROPICAL COUNTRIES SUCH AS INDIA, SINGAPORE, THE PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA, CONGO, SENEGAL, MEXICO, BRAZIL AND THE UNITED STATES.
THESE FISH VARY IN SHAPES AND COLOR SUCH AS GYMNARCHUS NILOTICUS, A ONE METER LONG FISH RESEMBLING A SNAKE WHILE THE 15 CENTIMETERS SWORDFISH, ANOTHER KIND OF AQUARIUM FISH, IS THE MOST POPULAR KIND.
EPIPLATYS, A BREEDING SPECIE, ALSO RESEMBLES THE SWORDFISH BUT THE LARGEST FEMALE IS SEVEN CENTIMETERS LONG AND IS CRUCIAL FOR CANCER SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHES.
OTHER FISHES INCLUDE THE GOLDFISH, WHICH HAS A BRIGHT DEEP RED COLOR, ANGEL, THE SYMPHYSODON DISCU, BUFFERFISH, BLUE STRIPE CATFISH AND MANY OTHERS. ABDULAZIZ AL-GHANEM, AN AMATEUR COLLECTOR, TOLD KUNA THAT THIS HOBBY HAS A BIG MARKET IN KUWAIT WHERE PEOPLE TEND TO BUY SMALL AQUARIUMS TO PUT IN THEIR HOMES AND ENJOY WATCHING THE MAGNIFICENT COLORFUL FISHES.
HE ADDED THAT THE AQUARIUMS NEED PROPER ACCESSORIES TO ADD A TOUCH OF BEAUTY, USING PLANTS TO PRODUCE SHADES MAKING IT A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT TO THE REAL SEA.
THE AQUARIUMS NEED CONSTANT CLEANING AND CARE TO GET RID OF FOOD RESIDUES IN ADDITION TO AIR PUMPS TO SUPPLY OXYGEN.
THE BEST KIND OF FOOD FOR FISH IS THE DRY KIND, SINCE IT IS EASY TO USE WITH HIGH NEUTRINOS VALUES TO HELP THE FISH GROW.
THE MOST COMMON DISEASE THAT MIGHT INFECT AQUARIUM FISH IS FUNGUS DUE TO NEGLECTING THE AQUARIUM CLEANING.
OTHER DISEASES INCLUDE EYE INFECTION, SWELLING OF THE BELLY, CORROSION OF THE TAIL AND MANY OTHER ILLNESS.
HAVING AN AQUARIUM AT HOME REQUIRES A LOT OF CARE AND ATTENTION TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF THE FISH AND THEIR BEAUTY. (END) KZ.JSY