The global ornamental fish trade, worth about US $4.5 billion, is dominated by freshwater species (85%), with India contributing around ₹10 Crore mainly from freshwater fish. India, however, has vast potential for marine ornamental fish exports, especially from the Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, and Palk Bay. Over 300 species occur in Lakshadweep alone, with wrasses, damselfish, parrotfish, and goatfish forming 85% of the population. Despite rich biodiversity and growing demand, India’s marine ornamental fish trade remains underdeveloped due to limited technology and infrastructure. Sustainable growth requires non-destructive collection, strict environmental protection, captive breeding, and effective regulation. Developing hatchery and culture technologies is essential for a long-term, eco-friendly trade that supports both economic growth and coral reef conservation. In these juncture, CMFRI developed hatchery technology for about 40 marine ornamental fishes such as clown fishes Amphiprion percula (True percula/ clown anemone fish);A. ocellaris (Common Clown/False clown anemonefish); A. sandaracinos (Yellow Skunk Clown); A. frenatus (Tomato clown), A. clarkii (Clark’s anemone fish), A. sebae (Sebae clown) A. akallopisos (Skunk Clown), A. periderarion (Pink anemone fish ) A. ephippium (Red saddle back anemone fish), A.nigripes (Lakhadweep clownfish),Premnas biaculeatus (Maroon clown/ Spine cheek anemone fish, Hybridizing of Black ocellaris and Percula clown, Double dot domino clown, Production of designer clown fishes. The species under damsels for which technology developed under captivity included Dascyllus trimaculatus (Three spot damsel); D. aruanus (Striped damsel);Pomacentrus caeruleus (Blue damsel); P. pavo (Sapphire or Peacock Damsel); Neopomacentrus nemurus (Yellow tail damsel); N. filamentosus (Filamentous tail damsel);Chrysiptera cyanae (Sapphire devil); C. unimaculata (One spot damsel),C. hemicyanea, Neopomacentrus cyanomos, N. nemurus, and Dascyllus carneus, Two-tone chromis Pycnochromis fieldi, Pycnochromis retrofasciatus,Chromis viridis (Green chromis) and Black bar chromis Pycnochromis retrofasciatus Lemon Damsel Pomacentrus moluccensis; anthias Pseudanthias marcia and P. squamipinnis and also dotty back Pseudochromis dilectus (Redhead Dottyback), purple fire goby Nemateleotris decora for the first time in the world,Cleaner shrimp Lysmata amboinensis, red banded coral shrimp Stenopus hispidus, Wide bar shrimp goby Amblyeleotris latifasciata, ornate goby Istiogobius ornatus and Lemon coral goby Gobiodon citrinus.
Key Words: Marine ornamental fishes, clown fishes, damsel fishes, anthias, dottybacks, firegoby, ornamental shrimps and gobies