Fish and undersea creatures have become unlikely heroes for children ever since movies like Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo. But the fishy underwater world is not only for kids. A piscine pet can be a rare stress-buster for adults. It’s remarkably relaxing to sit by an aquarium and watch the creatures darting about in their watery home. Here’s a dekko at what’s on offer for wannabe fish owners at the city’s stores.

Structure shot

Sea anemone

The first step towards getting a new piscine pal is to go house-hunting for it. The city stores have a decent collection of aquariums to pick from. Most aquariums have fibre or galvanised covers. Nemo’s World near Vivekananda Park uses imported black sheet for the fibre cover of their products. An 18-cubic inch aquarium with cover costs Rs 900, while a 4ft/18in/18in one comes for Rs 3,600. At Anami aquarium on C.I.T. Road, a 12in/8in/8in fibre aquarium would cost around Rs 180. While the largest size coming in 10ft/2ft/2ft can cost up to Rs 25,000. Galvanised covers come in the range between Rs 250 and Rs 1,500.

Patra Aquarium in Gouri Bari Lane offers plastic covered aquariums between Rs 200 and Rs 10,000, depending on the size. Galvanised aquariums are yours between Rs 600 and Rs 2,000. So Fine Aquarium in Sealdah has fibre aquariums from Rs 225 to Rs 425. Galvanised covers are available in a range of Rs 125 and Rs 310.

And glass bowls, across the stores, are priced between Rs 75 and Rs 300.

Live act

Clownfish

While the Sunday street market on Galiff Street rules the roost with the serious hobbyists, the city’s stores are not to be outdone either.

Anami aquarium keeps only fresh water fish and some of the best ones are imported from Singapore and Bangkok. Take your pick from the Flower Horn with its orange and white spots at Rs 10,000 a piece or maybe the Discus that come in ravishing shades of blue, red, pink, orange and white. Shell out between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000 depending on size.

Goldfish

The Feather fish with their feather-like fins come from the dark, tree-covered canals flowing into the Amazon and have the habit of hiding if exposed to light. They cost Rs 150 a piece. The rainbow-coloured Ramirezi comes at Rs 50, while the Red tail black shark costs Rs 30. You can also go for the Orenda, Lionhead, the Redcap (with its cherry red hood) or even Goldfish, available at a range of Rs 50 and Rs 200. The black and gold Clown Loach will be yours for Rs 200, and the Oscar, which likes to swim with its own kind costs up to Rs 500.

Red coral

The Elephant fish with its trunk-like nose, will cost about Rs 500. The brilliant Red Parrot is costs anywhere between Rs 150 and Rs 500. The Brown Catfish costs Rs 15 a piece and it feeds on the waste food of other fishes, preferring to do a clean-up job. Also check out the tiny Neon Tetras for Rs 30, darting around in their electric blue streaks.

Nemo’s World has both salt and fresh water fish. Check out the Electric Blue Damselfish at Rs 750 each, while the Brazilian Discus comes at Rs 3,500 each. The 3-spot Domino Damselfish is quite an eye-catcher at Rs 2,300. The red and blue striped Red Zebra costs Rs 20.The Elephant Loach is yours at Rs 650.

Royal Dottyback

The Crocodile fish at Pets & Pets in Triangular Park is the pick of the lot. The Subang King Goldfish with its orange patch looks nothing but royal, and comes for Rs 50. And it’s hard to tear your eyes away from the peacock blue Fighter.

Starfish

The Platinum Angelfish at Patra aquarium takes one’s breath away with its look befitting its name. It comes at Rs 40 a pair. The Golden Severum will empty your pocket by Rs 40 a pair, while the red and gold Scarlet Rainbow costs Rs 200 a pair. The nine-inch-long Feather fish here comes at Rs 500.

So Fine Aquarium near Sealdah Court has a wide variety including the Red Tail Shark, Discus, Red Parrot, Angel fish, Black Molly, Tiger Shark, Widow Tetra, Rosy Barb and the Fighter. The Albino Rainbow Shark costs Rs 30 a pair while the Black variety is available for Rs 120 a pair.

accessorize

You must get the right equipment to keep your pets healthy and happy. Air pumps, filters, thermostats, and lights are a must. A wide variety of indigenous and imported products is available between Rs 70 and Rs 1,000. Automatic feeders, which feed your fish at the right time when you are out of town for a long stretch, are also available, coming at about Rs 800. Drop in at Anami if you feel a holiday coming up soon.

Natural plants like Cabamba, Water Lily, Longhorn and Hydrophila for decoration, are the best options, although artificial non-toxic plants, costing between Rs 150 and Rs 500, are rising in the popularity charts.

You can use Jaipur gravel or mosaic stones or even artificially coloured non-toxic stones that cost about Rs 6 to Rs 40 per kg. Mosaic houses and toys cost between Rs 20 and Rs 600.

Handle with care

It’s just not enough to get the right kind of tank and the right kind of fish. These are living beings and you have to put in some effort to give them the right kind of care.

Somnath Bhattacharjee, a freshwater aquarium owner has five tips for care:

• Be meticulous about changing the water in your aquarium at the stipulated times. Here, the volume of the water to be thrown off and replenished is the key element.

• Whenever you change the water, be very careful about warding off the New Tank Syndrome. It is the period right after a new tank is set up, when the ‘good’ bacteria that process fish waste to reduce toxic levels are not yet present. The ammonia and nitrite levels from fish waste may rise dangerously during this period.

• Try and avoid placing your aquarium in direct sunlight so that you don’t have an uncontrollable growth of algae.

• You must ensure that each fish gets its fair share of oxygen from the water. A rule of thumb is to divide the area of water that’s exposed to the surface (in square inches) by twelve and keep that many fish.

• It always pays to invest in good quality equipment, particularly the oxygen pump. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to hit the shopping trail!

Collector speak:

While there are a fair group of collectors with fresh water aquariums in the city, only a handful has been brave enough to venture into the marine aquarium territory. One of them, Partha Dutta, of Behala, has even won the Aquarama awards for the Tank of the Year in 2006 for his reef aquarium.

Dutta has recreated a mini eco-system in his 6ft by 18in by 18in aquarium. Live corals, anemones, Starfish, Dottybacks, Clownfish (yeah, the same species as Nemo), Yellow tang — you name it, he got it!

Datta admits that it is an expensive and time-consuming hobby, but he feels that one look at his mini slice of sea bed after a long day more than makes up for it.

He puts better availability of medicines and additives, less stringent import regulations, better awareness and a more ethical approach to sales on his wish list. He rues the fact that there are hardly any serious hobbyists and is all set to create an online forum soon.