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Abstract:
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The Amazon River basin is one of the richest and most diverse aquatic ecosystems on Earth, home to an impressive diversity of fish with enormous variation in size and color patterns that attract scientists, aquaculturists, exporters, and lovers of Amazonian ichthyofauna. This Neotropical basin has around 3,000 species of freshwater fish of ecological and economic importance to countless populations in this vast region, of which more than 400 species are ornamental fish.
The fishing of ornamental fish from the Amazon Basin is an important activity for the economy of various riverside populations, mainly in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, who survive by catching various species for export. In Brazil, it has been estimated that the ornamental fish trade began with freshwater species from the Amazon region, coinciding with the discovery of the cardinal Paracheirodom axelrodi. Despite its importance, this extractive activity faces major challenges, such as the need for more sustainable management. Thus, the cultivation of Amazonian ornamental fish species can help solve these problems, in addition to offering direct and indirect employment opportunities for thousands of people in the Amazon. However, there are still some obstacles to the growth of ornamental fish aquaculture, such as a lack of knowledge about the current market and various aspects related to the management of Amazonian ornamental fish in intensive cultivation.
The publication addresses important aspects for the development of intensive farming activities for ornamental fish species from the Amazon, covering the main species and their reproductive aspects, genetics, legal and conservation aspects, marketing, management, and problems related to the main frequent diseases. Therefore, this work is of great relevance to freshwater ornamental fish aquaculture, serving as a reference for those interested in producing Amazonian fish, a growing demand in this professional activity, as well as for those interested in deepening their knowledge of fish species that attract so much international interest.
This publication highlights the knowledge and experiences of various collaborators from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in aquaculture, who have compiled studies from the literature on the fascinating knowledge of Amazonian ornamental fish farming. It has been organized by researchers with expertise in the field of ornamental fish aquaculture, as well as in the structuring of books aimed at different audiences. |
