Seeing The Ornamental Fish Heaven In The Menteng Area

JAKARTA - Raising animals can be a cure for fatigue after a long day of work. It's just that, not everyone has a large place to keep a dog or cat. If you have this, keeping fish in an aquarium complete with decorative sea plants or coral reefs for a saltwater aquarium can be an alternative.

This week, the VOI team took the time to take a walk to the Menteng area, to be precise at the Ornamental Fish Exchange, Jalan Sumenep, Menteng, Central Jakarta. Here, various types of fish from fresh water to complete sea water are sold. For example, you don't want to buy, you can wash your eyes while looking at fish or other aquatic animals such as turtles.

As soon as we entered the ornamental fish market, we were immediately attracted to one of the stalls managed by Hasan (45). At that time, Hasan was not serving customers. Understandably, when we came, the weather was cloudy and a little drizzle.

We opened the chat while pointing at one of the fish Hasan was selling, namely super red arowana fish.

"We sell arowana fish for Rp25 million," he said when we met him at his stall, Sunday, January 12.

The man who has been selling in the ornamental fish market since 1992 said that he sells various types of ornamental fish, both freshwater and sea water. It's just that, according to him, currently the buyers who stop by his shop are looking for more sea water ornamental fish. The reason is, because it is cheaper.

"Now people are looking for sea water fish more. The problem is, the fish are cheaper. It's just that the maintenance is more complicated because those who keep them must be diligent in buying seawater," Hasan explained.

"There are nemo, butterfly, zebra, blue devil, it's cheap, the price is Rp. 10 - Rp. 20 thousand already," he added, saying he also sells sea water, one bag he sells for Rp. 12 thousand with a size of 12 liters of water.

If you want a little bit expensive, he also sells black fin sharks. One fish is priced at IDR 2.5 million.

"We have blackfin sharks too, but they have to be kept in a large aquarium. Because the maximum size can be up to 60cm. My advice is not for beginners either," he said when we asked about the sharks in the saltwater aquarium behind his shop. .

Hasan admitted, from trading ornamental fish, both sea and fresh water, he could get a turnover of around Rp. 10 million to Rp. 15 million.

"But it also depends, sometimes it can be less than that, especially when we are busy only on Saturdays or Sundays, during holidays," he said, who was then busy serving customers who came.

After we were satisfied to see the fish in Hasan's stall, we also went to one of the stalls selling koi fish which was guarded by Jangkung.

To us, he said, although now sea water ornamental fish are the target of buyers, koi fish are still the prima donna.

Koi fish hobbyists, he said, do not even hesitate to spend up to millions of rupiah, depending on the color of the fish and its size. The rarer the pattern, the more expensive the price will be.

"There are still a lot of hobbyists or beginners who are looking for this koi fish. However, if you want to maintain this koi fish, it's a bit complicated because the water filter must be really maintained. If it doesn't die quickly, the fish will die soon," said Jangkung when met at his stall.

"So you can't just put it in the pond, well, it's a shame then all the koi fish can die," he added with a laugh.

Apart from the sellers, we also had a chance to chat with one of the buyers who came to the ornamental fish market. Eva (40), a resident of Manggarai, admitted that she deliberately came on Sundays with her husband. He said that he had recently been interested in buying ornamental fish and his choice fell on koi fish.

"Buy koi fish for the pond, because the color is good. For filling the pond, we can take it easy," he said.

As for the reason he came to this ornamental fish market, because there are many sellers and the price is considered cheaper elsewhere. In addition, this ornamental fish market also sells various accessories or other equipment such as fish food and filters for aquariums and ponds.