There is an increasing demand for ornamental fish worldwide. In the US alone, there are around 1,500 hypermarkets that require continuous supply of ornamental fish.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reports that 90 percent of the fish traded in the world market are freshwater species. The country currently supplies around 3.8 percent of the total ornamental fish export worldwide valued at US$4 million. Most of these fishes are marine species that are caught in the wild.
In the past many years, ornamental fishes were not given much attention by the government because the priority had always been food fish such as tilapia, bangus, carp and other species.
Dr. Rosa F. Macas, director of BFAR Region 4-A revealed that as early as 2000, they tried to promote ornamental fish production after observing that the Philippines was importing a lot of goldfish and many other species. The program, however, did not prosper for a number of reasons such as lack of breeders, lack of research and development, lack of facilities and others.
Fortunately, in 2003 Wilson Ang approached the BFAR proposing a collaboration of his firm with the government agency. Collaboration of the two, including the local governments, would really push the program significantly. For one, Bio Research has the technical know-how in breeding and management of ornamental fishes. It has the available breeders as well as the market. Wilson assured that all the technical know-how of Bio Research in connection with ornamental fishes will be openly shared with the public. “No secrets here,” he said.
Koi fish, or Nishikigoi, are the product of several centuries of selective breeding of the common brown Asian carp and the German carp. The first color mutations appeared about 1805.
TumugonBurahinKoi are available in all colors from the purest white, through yellow, orange, red, near-lavender, blues, greens and coal black, in limitless combinations.
Most popular in Japan are the Kohaku, a pure white fish with persimmon-red patches arranged in a stepping stone pattern.
In the USA, favorite types run the gamut from the legendary "Big Three" (Kohaku, Taisho Sanke, and Showa Sanke, the last two appreciated for varying proportions of white, black and red) to the eye catching Ogons, metallic fish that look like they have been hammered from gold or platinum.
New developments are the long fin or butterfly Koi and the Gin Rin Koi, where each scale sparkles like a diamond.