TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Ornamental fish breeders receive boost from new ministry lab
For more than 15 years, Rodi Saputra has lived and worked as an ornamental fish breeder in Depok, West Java
Change Size
F
span>For more than 15 years, Rodi Saputra has lived and worked as an ornamental fish breeder in Depok, West Java. What started off as a hobby became a source of income after a friend introduced him to the business potential.
He has cultivated various types of ornamental fish, such as Manfish, Botia, Rainbow Fish and the Sumatra Barb.
“At present, I am cultivating the neon tetra fish because there’s a high demand for it,” the 51-year-old told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. “It is an imported fish that can adapt to the water here.”
After more than a decade in the business, he mainly exports his fish to countries such as Australia, France and Japan. Only around 10 percent of his fish is marketed domestically, he said.
A member of a local Curug Jaya community of aquarium fish farmers, Rodi said he was often approached by both local exporters and importers from abroad to provide for them a supply of ornamental fish.
This was a sign that the business is thriving as demand freshwater fish is high, he added.
His store produces around 1.7 million tetra fish a month.
“Revenue can get up to Rp 500 million [US$ 35,350] ,” he said.
The neon tetra is a small freshwater fish popular among aquarium hobbyists.
Indonesia is one of the biggest suppliers of marine ornamental fish in the world.
Data from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry shows that the country produced 1.8 billion ornamental fish in 2018, up from 1.3 billion in 2015, with exports totaling Rp 4.3 trillion.
This year, the ministry aims to export 2.3 billion fish.
According to Eni Kusrini, genetic researcher at the ministry’s research and testing laboratory for ornamental fish cultivation (BRBIH), the government gas been helping fish breeders across the country cultivate local or imported ornamental fish.
Located in Pancoran Mas, Depok, the center was inaugurated last month in a bid to bolster the potential of ornamental fish businesses.
Indonesia exports around 1.1 billion ornamental fish a year worth some $60 million, according to the ministry.
Eni explained that the center conducted examinations, such as genetic and nutrition testing, on the ornamental fish before they are sent to breeders.
The aim is to find out whether local or imported fish can adapt to different water conditions.
“All our testing must be in accordance with ISO 17025,” Eni told the Post, referring to the International Organization for Standardization’s requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
The test results, Eni said, would be given to farmers to use as a guideline for cultivating their fish.
The center is also expected to develop around 100 new species that can be exported overseas.
Eni added that she was not surprised that ornamental fish farmers could make hundreds of millions of rupiah a month.
“Some of them can make more money that aquaculture farmers,” she said.
Rodi welcomed the establishment of the center, as besides for research purposes, it could also add a variety of fish that breeders like him could market.
The center could also identify some of the health issues plaguing ornamental fish, he said.
Rodi added that fish breeder community had received support from the ministry in the forms of aquariums, ornamental fish larvae and mature fish to propel their business. (das)
