<p>City-based aquascaper Mayur Dev is making continuous attempts to bring indigenous products into the ornamental fish market. </p>.<p>In 2021, he launched a fish food brand called Life Aayu to counter fish feed imported from China, which often contains cheap ingredients and substances like maida, which are harmful. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“Based on what the fish eat in their natural habitat, we came up with the feed. The products were tested multiple times before putting them on the market,” he tells Metrolife. The brand was named Aayu after the Kannada word ayushya, which translates to longevity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fish research</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dev says, in India, the focus is on fish used for consumption rather than on ornamental fish. “About 4,000 species of ornamental fish are documented in our country but not many people know about them. However, the western world is more aware of it,” he adds.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He speaks fondly of the zebra danio, commonly known as zebrafish. About 70% of their genetic make-up is similar to that of humans. “Tests are being conducted on the species to solve human problems. They are also very beautiful,” he shares. The maharaja barb is another less-known species, and is found in the Sahyadri mountains of Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Designing ecosystems</p>.<p class="bodytext">Influenced by Takashi Amano, a Japanese aquarist, Dev began his aquascaping journey when he was seven. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Talking about creating suitable ecosystems for fish, Dev explains that each aquarium ecosystem is designed based on the species of the fish. Appropriate aquatic plants that are suitable for the fish are cultivated within the aquarium. Diffusers and fertilisers are added to ensure both the fish and the plants thrive, he shares.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fish for vastu</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dev observes that one of the factors that drive ornamental fish sales is vastu. Vastu consultants believe that keeping fish at home can solve a lot of problems. “Many people buy fish for vastu but they do not know how to take care of them. They go back to the stores with problems but even they are not aware of the solutions. People treat them as showpieces instead of living beings,” he laments. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Early memories</p>.<p class="bodytext">When Dev was seven, he picked fish from a local market to rear them in a nearby pond. That was how his interest in the field began. He began his career as an aquascaper 30 years ago. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“My grandfather encouraged me to start taking care of the fish and my interest grew as I continued to bring more of them to the pond. He also took me to the University of Agricultural Sciences,” he shares. As he continued rearing them in the pond, he immersed himself in understanding their growth and behaviour, including how they breed.</p>
<p>City-based aquascaper Mayur Dev is making continuous attempts to bring indigenous products into the ornamental fish market. </p>.<p>In 2021, he launched a fish food brand called Life Aayu to counter fish feed imported from China, which often contains cheap ingredients and substances like maida, which are harmful. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“Based on what the fish eat in their natural habitat, we came up with the feed. The products were tested multiple times before putting them on the market,” he tells Metrolife. The brand was named Aayu after the Kannada word ayushya, which translates to longevity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fish research</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dev says, in India, the focus is on fish used for consumption rather than on ornamental fish. “About 4,000 species of ornamental fish are documented in our country but not many people know about them. However, the western world is more aware of it,” he adds.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He speaks fondly of the zebra danio, commonly known as zebrafish. About 70% of their genetic make-up is similar to that of humans. “Tests are being conducted on the species to solve human problems. They are also very beautiful,” he shares. The maharaja barb is another less-known species, and is found in the Sahyadri mountains of Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Designing ecosystems</p>.<p class="bodytext">Influenced by Takashi Amano, a Japanese aquarist, Dev began his aquascaping journey when he was seven. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Talking about creating suitable ecosystems for fish, Dev explains that each aquarium ecosystem is designed based on the species of the fish. Appropriate aquatic plants that are suitable for the fish are cultivated within the aquarium. Diffusers and fertilisers are added to ensure both the fish and the plants thrive, he shares.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fish for vastu</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dev observes that one of the factors that drive ornamental fish sales is vastu. Vastu consultants believe that keeping fish at home can solve a lot of problems. “Many people buy fish for vastu but they do not know how to take care of them. They go back to the stores with problems but even they are not aware of the solutions. People treat them as showpieces instead of living beings,” he laments. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Early memories</p>.<p class="bodytext">When Dev was seven, he picked fish from a local market to rear them in a nearby pond. That was how his interest in the field began. He began his career as an aquascaper 30 years ago. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“My grandfather encouraged me to start taking care of the fish and my interest grew as I continued to bring more of them to the pond. He also took me to the University of Agricultural Sciences,” he shares. As he continued rearing them in the pond, he immersed himself in understanding their growth and behaviour, including how they breed.</p>