Guwahati, May 1: Scientists at the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute have successfully achieved the country’s first captive breeding and larval rearing of Channa stewartii, a rare ornamental species native to the upper Brahmaputra basin.
The milestone, recorded in April 2026 at the institute’s Guwahati Regional Centre, is being viewed as a significant advance in reducing reliance on wild-caught stocks and promoting a more sustainable ornamental fish trade.
Commonly known as the Assamese snakehead, the species is valued in the ornamental fish market for its distinctive iridescent blue fins and aesthetic appeal, with prices ranging between Rs 600 and Rs 1,200 per pair. Until now, the absence of a standardised breeding protocol had compelled traders to depend on wild populations, raising concerns about overexploitation in fragile hill-stream ecosystems across Northeast India.
The breakthrough was achieved under the All India Network Project on Ornamental Fish Breeding and Culture, launched in April 2024. Researchers conditioned around 30 wild brooders in a semi-natural environment designed with sand substrates, bamboo structures and earthen shelters to replicate natural habitats and stimulate spawning behaviour.
A mature breeding pair was subsequently transferred to a fibre-reinforced plastic tank, where it spawned naturally without the use of hormonal induction. The pair produced between 1,578 and 2,769 eggs, with a hatching success rate of 73 per cent. The larvae, measuring approximately 8.4 mm, exhibited healthy growth and active swimming under controlled rearing conditions.
Institute Director Pradip Dey described the achievement as a major step towards sustainable ornamental fisheries, highlighting its potential to support aquaculture-based entrepreneurship while reducing ecological pressure on wild fish populations.
He also underscored the need to scale up hatchery production under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and to introduce certification mechanisms for captive-bred ornamental fish.
Experts note that the development not only strengthens biodiversity conservation efforts but also opens new avenues for livelihood generation, linking scientific innovation with sustainable economic growth.
