TROPICAL LOBSTERS IN MARINE ORNAMENTAL AQUARIUM AND TRADE: ATTRACTIVE AND ADAPTABLE-LEAST KNOWN.

The aquarium industry in India relies mainly on ornamental fishes harvested from nature mostly confined to fresh water sources followed by brackish and to a little extent from marine waters. Lobsters, especially spiny forms have unique blend of colors with peculiar shape, movements and are distinct from popular aquarium varieties. They also meet quality criteria required for aquarium pets other than aesthetic value. Lobsters are calm, non-voracious, non-aggressive, less cannibalistic and adaptable in aquarium conditions. The above factors favor introduction of lobsters as a candidate species that will add a new look for marine aquarium. In India, all along the maritime states and union territories; Puducherry, Daman and Diu, lobsters are mostly landed as by catch by trawl nets. Lobsters below 150 g are banned from exporting in India and fetch low monetary value in domestic market. A study was conducted to test the efficacy of spiny and sand lobsters for using in marine aquarium. The details on husbandry practices emphasizing major water quality parameters and food and feeding experimented by introducing spiny and sand lobsters in marine aquarium is presented in this paper. The major water quality parameters recorded from lobster aquaria are, sea water temperature 29.07±0.04 to 29.98 ±0.020C, salinity 34.47±0.51 to 39±0.94 ppt, dissolved oxygen 4.82 ± 0.48 mg/l to 5.53 ± 0.28 ml/l, PH 7.97 ±0.18 to 8.31 ±0.19 and ammonia 0.004 ± 0.002 to 0.48 ± 0.64 mg/l, nitrite2 0.004 ± 0.002 to 0.11 ± 0.14 mg/l and nitrate ranged from 1.06 ± 0.06 to 1.93 ±2.68 mg/l. In this experiments, 100% survival was achieved for all the lobsters suggesting suitability of spiny and sand lobsters in marine ornamental aquarium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]