But not all exotic species become invasive, cautions Nachiket Kelkar from the Ashoka Trust for Research, Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in Bengaluru, who has studied fish communities in the Western Ghats and north India. It was September 7, barely a month after the floods of 2018 had wrecked large parts of Kerala. The illegally-introduced species is fast becoming a major concern in the state, says Basheer, who is part of an NBFGR project to study the impacts of exotic fish species in Indian waters, “Populations of African catfish are rapidly increasing in some waterbodies in Kerala, such as the Mattupetty, Aanayirangal and Periyar reservoirs of Idukki district,” he says. 90102. Though these fish are capable of growing to great lengths, they rarely make it to their largest size. Arapaima is one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, endemic to the Amazon in South America and the alligator gar is from the freshwater lakes of North America. * Both arapaima and alligator gar have been found in the Periyar and Chalakudy rivers, posing major risk to small fish. Additionally, arapaimas are air-breathers, a feature that could help them survive even in polluted habitats. Chalakudy River is the one of very few rivers of Kerala with relics of riparian vegetation in substantial level. But the larger problem of aliens turning invasive is not restricted to Kerala’s waters alone. Nevertheless, lack of mechan-isms for implementing and enforcing these provisions facilitates the illegal farming of top predators like arapaima and alligator gar in Kerala… But though neither of the fish seems to have established “sustaining populations” in any of these river systems, their presence here is still a cause for concern, claims Kumar, professor and head of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries at the University of Kerala. Call 1-877-367-4377 to order! This policy, coupled with both an extensive database of invasive species with information on their invasion biology and an awareness campaign, would help in gradually managing the issue of invasive species, suggests Kumar. Kerala’s flood ‘fugitives’ Kerala’s river systems, which the authors study, are home to around 200 species of fish, 30 percent of which are endemic to the region. After a month’s such work of analysing news reports, social media photographs and videos of ‘strange’ fish caught after the 2018 floods, and re-confirming sightings with local fishermen and fish vendors, the team – of A. Biju Kumar (University of Kerala), Raj, C.P. CITES approved for export. Other invasives include the guppy and mosquitofish (legally introduced to control mosquito populations). The government should also audit fish farms to see what alien species they are stocking, and make it compulsory for farms to declare these species and their numbers, said Raghavan. Kothamangalam (Ernakulam): A giant fish that weighs more than 100 kg and has a length of 6.75 feet has drawn crowd to the fish farm in Nadukani. Arapaima - Buy Fish at best price of Rs 10000/piece from Thaikkattil Farm. His journey, however, was not in vain; he was able to procure a small piece of fish tissue from the head. Alligator gar too are formidable predators; they are piscivorous generalists with an affinity towards live fish, said Raghavan, an assistant professor at KUFOS. The head of the arapaima is copperish-green in color, their bodies are black with a white center and their tails are red. Kumar, who documented how ornamental exotic South American suckermouth armoured catfishes (genus Pterygoplichthys) were invading the drain networks of Thiruvananthapuram city in a study in 2015, found that traders and aquarium hobbyists were releasing these fish into drains when they grew too large for their aquariums or tanks. The team plans to begin this work once again from next week to obtain more information on alien fish species that this year’s floods may have released into Kerala’s water systems. For instance, in the case of the African catfish, identifying “recruitment areas” from where invasive fish fingerlings could be dispersing to other connected habitats such as swamps and wetlands (habitats with standing vegetation and slush where the catfish thrives very well and breeds) could be important, added Basheer. Size is about 5 inches roughly. Arapaima introductions in some American countries have caused a decline in native species, which in turn has affected local fisher livelihoods. Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Pothanikkad native George Antony grew this giant fish in his farm. There are news reports of alligator gar sightings from waterbodies in the states of Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Some species may need to be addressed specifically. They are torpedo-like in shape, with narrow heads and long bodies. The team called for an urgent need to develop and implement a nationwide ‘alien species management and eradication scheme’. Nevertheless, lack of mechan-isms for implementing and enforcing these provisions facilitates the illegal farming of top predators like arapaima and alligator gar in Kerala… Also find here related product comparison | ID: 20067869648 This has to change, as we try to control truly invasive populations,” added Kelkar. Another new species spotted in Kerala's newly-calm waters is the Arapaima (pictured), a vicious predator of Brazilian origin known to survive out of water for a considerable amount of time. Their bodies are black and they have reddish markings on them. It belongs to the genus Arapaima. A change in perspective could be key too. OLX provides the best Free Online Classified Advertising in India. “The customs handle violations that occur at the frontiers such as seaports and airports and there have been recent instances of seizing some prohibited fish species too,” he said. Dwelling from the Amazonian basins of South America, these bonytongues can reach a length of up to three metres and weigh upwards of450 pounds.. Arapaimas are important food fish in South America.Therefore, several farms breed them in large quantities. With the floods that have once again occurred in some parts of Kerala over the past few days, there is indeed a chance that exotics held in captive facilities have moved into nearby natural waters once again, according to Raghavan. In their communication in the journal Current Science in May this year, the team call for an urgent nationwide scheme to eradicate such alien fish species. Additionally, arapaimas are air-breathers, a feature that could help them survive even in polluted habitats. Kumar, who documented how ornamental exotic South American suckermouth armoured catfishes (genus Pterygoplichthys) were invading the drain networks of Thiruvananthapuram city in a study in 2015, found that traders and aquarium hobbyists were releasing these fish into drains when they grew too large for their aquariums or tanks. ... One of them show his encounter with an Arapaima … Both alien species can grow to be enormous. “To be billed as an invasive, the species must proliferate to unnatural abundances in the habitats where they get naturalised, and also outcompete other species,” he wrote in an email. Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets is best to feed to Arapaima. But all he saw of the fish was its severed head: it had already been sold in the market. Fl… When a final heave raised the net slightly above water, Kallarackal could not believe his eyes. Comments: These are fabulous looking fish, with unique characteristics. 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