Ngatup, the colourful tiny aquarium fishes

[Scientific name: Schistura species]

• Ngatup (named after the coloured bars on the body) occur widely in the hill streams of Manipur.

• About 50 species of such colourful fishes are expected to be found in the streams of the state.

• Its small size (hardly reaching 10 cm length) and bony consistency, do not quality it as a good food fish.

• The fishes often remain unattended after a fishing operation and many of them die out of water.

• The fascinating beauty of these colourful tiny ornamental fishes has been attracting aquarium hobbyists from time immemorial.

• South and Southeast Asia has been the centre of export of ornamental fishes to different destinations of the world.

• The rich resources of these hill stream fishes of Manipur have not been explored.

The fish needs protection to live in the wild.     

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