Fish go to college

Matunga that predominant South Indian hub in Mumbai is the epicenter for all things Southern mdash like fluffy idlis that remind you of soft cotton clouds crisp dosai tempting you to pick them up from the waiterrsquos plate and chuck around like a frisbee the aroma of sambar that suffuses the area and a dash of fiery malgapudi so evocatively called lsquogunpowderrsquo So where does fish fit in here Not on your plate but in bowls and tanks The Ruia College in Matunga is all set to host an exhibition called AquaLife 2012 where 200 species of fish will be on display at the College premises from May 24 to May 28 Clown Fishu00a0 The AquaLife 2012 is to be held over a 16000 sqfeet space in the College quadrangle where the venue would house approximately 120 tanks The exhibition is open to the public with an entry fee of Rs 40 per person Organizer Laukik Soman who is based in Pune and is bringing the exhibition to Mumbai says ldquoI was scouting around for a place in Dadar I could not find a venue Finally I approached the College which graciously gave me the premisesrdquo Enterprising Laukik Soman says it is time to bring the fish home and keep them as pets as it can be a rewarding experience u00a0u00a0 The event has been held earlier in Pune at the Ganesh Kala Krida Hall on December 22 2011 and May 3 this year at the Nashik Kalidas Kala Mandir ldquoI want Mumbaikars to experience the wonders of marine liferdquo says Soman The aim of the exhibition is ldquoTo inculcate a love and understanding of these creatures in people Those who visit the exhibition must go back with a feeling that they need to have a fish in their home Having a fish as a pet transforms peoplersquos lives in a certain way With a pet one becomes less focused on oneself as you now have someone else to care for It can certainly change your outlook in profound and very happy waysrdquo says Soman who has several species of fish in his home at Pune Koi Angel Tremendous The organizers claim that the response in both Pune and Nashik was ldquotremendousrdquo Tangibly that lsquotremendousrsquo translates to in Pune there were approximately 25000 visitors and in Nashik approximately 15000 came in to view the exhibition Soman claims the timing is apt as ldquoSchool and college vacation time gives people the opportunity to visit the exhibition and learn about fish at leisurerdquou00a0The fish is being in by fish lovers who keep and collect fish as a hobby Most of them are from Mumbai Besides them and there are others who deal in pet fish commercially like selling aquarium tanks and related paraphernalia who will also be bringing in the fish from their shops for display ldquoThough the exhibition begins on May 24 preparations start by May 21 with a mandap closed enclosure being built at the venue tanks and other accessories coming inrdquo says Soman Fighter Fish Species While some of this may sound like gobbledygook to nonfish followers those in the know may identify some of the species on display which would include the Red Chili Arvana RTG Arvana Silver Arvana Flowerhorn Aligator Gar African Cichlid Diamond Angel Platinum Angel Gold Fish and the Angel Fish The Clown Fish may bring a smile to the faces of visitors while the Lion Fish is sure to earn something like a roar of approval Arvana is an endangered species found in the Amazon says the organizers and needs a certificate declaring it to be bred in captivity The exhibition will put up certain birth certificates of the fish on the display The Feng Sui or Flower Horn fish too draws a lot of curious crowds say organizers Only 20 per cent of the Flower Horn fish grow a head and that leads to terming it a rare species Fish folklore says lsquothe bigger the head the more the prosperity it brings to the ownerrsquo The fish range from those that may cost as less as Rs 20 to the swish fish in the bracket of Rs 4 lakh Though the fish form the focal point of the exhibition the organizers says they will disseminate information on ldquoSpecies of various herbs and flora besides how to display tanks and even landscaped aquariumsrdquo Since the goal is to foster a love for fish and actually encourage people to keep fish as pets in their homes the exhibition would also focus on home aquariums and their maintenance Giant Gurami Oranda Goldfish Diamond Angel Learning Says Dr Suhas Pednekar principal Ruia College ldquoSince the College is closed for vacation not everybody would be able to witness the exhibition Yet I am hoping it would draw in students not just from our college but other colleges too It is hugely educative not only for youngsters but teachers too as it is a chance for us to see marine life live We teach from books but here is an opportunity for both students and teachers to learn from real liferdquo The sheer scale of the task seems dauntingmdash120 fish tanks 200 species and the crowds that are expected in that 16000 sq feet of space make this a formidable venture It began Soman says ldquoWhen I along with other fish lovers started communicating on the social media network and decided to bring what I hope is an eye opener about fish to experts and ordinary peoplerdquo says Soman who knows it is going to be a whirl from May 21 onwards A lesser lover of fish may seem fazed by the enormity of the effort but Soman knows where therersquos a gill therersquos a way At a glance gtgt Aqualife 2012 exhibition on fish to be held at Ruia College Matunga gtgt From May 24 to May 28 gtgt Timings 10 am to 10 pm gtgt Entry Open to Public gtgt Fee Rs 40 per person gtgt Numbers 120 tanks 200 species 16000 sq feet of space Finding Nemo Finding Nemo is a 2003 American computeranimated comedydrama film written and directed by Andrew Stanton produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin Albert Brooks who along with a regal tang called Dory Ellen DeGeneres searches for his abducted son Nemo Alexander Gould Along the way Marlin learns to take risks and to let Nemo take care of himself The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature It was the second highestgrossing film of 2003 behind The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King earning a total of 868 million worldwide Finding Nemo is also the bestselling DVD of all time with over 40 million copies sold as of 2006 It is also the fifth highestgrossing animated film of all time and the 27th highestgrossing film of all time In 2008 the American Film Institute named it the 10th greatest animated film ever made during their Top 10 The film39s prominent use of clownfish prompted mass purchase of the animal as pets in the United States even though the movie portrayed the use of fish as pets negatively and suggested that saltwater aquariums are notably tricky and expensive to maintain The demand for clownfish was supplied by largescale harvesting of tropical fish in regions like Vanuatu The reaction to the film by the general public had led to environmental devastation for the clownfish and had provoked an outcry from several environmental protection agencies including Marine Aquarium Council Australia Apparently the demand for tropical fish skyrocketed after the film39s release This caused reef species decimation in Vanuatu and many other reef areas u00a0