Ever considered keeping a Tiger Shark as a pet? Don?t be startled because it is simply an aquarium fish! Till a few years ago, aquariums could be seen in only restaurants and departmental stores in the capital. But today the aquarium has stormed our living rooms and buying fish of rare species has become a passion of sorts.

Over the years the concept of aquariums has undergone sea-change.While the small tanks were preferred till a few years ago, today the big aquariums are in vogue. Colourful fish tops the list of favourites and are available at anything between Rs 5 to 20,000 a pair.

Gappi is the cheapest fish, while the arena and flower hornare are expensive as they are rare. The city did not have too many dealers till a few years ago, but suddenly they have been springing up in different localities.

According to fish dealers, children are the soft targets and parents accompanied by their kids to aquarium shops inevitably end up taking a fish tank home. ?As soon as a child learns about a fish, he/she wants to keep one and though it is cumbersome, keeping aquariums is a cheap hobby. All that one has to do is feed the fish and change the water in regular intervals,? said Deepak Kumar, proprietor of Star Aquariums.

?Beginners usually don?t go for expensive species. They prefer the regular varieties like gold fish, kissing gorami, albino sharks, rainbow sharks, butterfly, and dolphins. These are sturdy fish and do not need much care,? Kumar added. The fish available in Ranchi are brought from Calcutta, Madras and Andhra Pradesh. The city is not convenient for breeding fish because of its temperature. Fish are sensitive to climatic changes and need steady temperature to breed, said Sunil Satuja proprietor of Venus Aquariums.

The aquariums are available in different sizes. The smaller ones measure a feet to 15 feet in length and one has to shell out a maximum of Rs 850 to have an aquarium at home. The bigger ones are, however, range from 3,000 to 25,000. They are mostly kept in commercial establishments.

?Apart from the aquariums, fish bowls are also in vogue as they look quaint. But it is best to keep the fish in an aquarium as fish bowls tend to be uncomfortable,? added Satuja. A wide range of accessories can also be fitted into the fish tank. Marble pebbles, corals, filters, statues, lights and coloured wall paper are a few accessories, which add to the beauty of an aquarium.

During winters, thermostat and water heaters are a must. Imported accessories are also a craze which are available in the local market.

Wish list

• Silver molly, angel, gorami, carps and gold fish are available for Rs 8 to Rs 70.

• Red parrot, oscars, feather fish, shivoram, discus, silver dollar range from Rs 80 to 3,000.

• Flower horn, arrowana, long-nosed buterfly range from Rs 3,000 to 25,000.

First hand

Nothing fishy about this passion

Sunil Satuja, owner of Venus Aquarium, left a promising career in photography to pursue his passion for fishes. ?I personally think an aquarium is the cheapest and most colourful way to decorate a house. At Rs 45 a month, one can easily maintain an aquarium. The fish do not eat much and a pinch of the feed is enough for a day. Some medicines are required to keep the water free from germs. The medicines are available in any aquarium shop.?

Satuja developed a liking for fishes during his added. ?I think parents should encourage their children to keep an aquarium as it is a good way to keep them busy and make them responsible.?