KERIAN (Perak), Sept 15 — Although his attempt at breeding arowana fish once ended in failure, Adzmi Saad refused to be discouraged. He delved into the reasons for the setback and learned from his mistakes.
That was more than 20 years ago. Today, the 70-year-old arowana breeder is the owner of Bintong Arowana Farm Sdn Bhd and has about 300 ponds on more than 13 hectares of land in Bukit Merah, located near Gunung Semanggol here.
“After my first arowana venture in Perlis failed, it was not the end for me,” he told Bernama when met at his farm recently, adding he found out that the pH of the water at his farm there was not suitable for breeding arowana.
“After studying the various factors, I found that the pH level and rocks in Bukit Merah make it one of the best places in the country to breed arowana.”
He said unlike his land in Perlis which is limestone-based, Bukit Merah has granite rocks and neutral pH (pH of 6 to 7) water, which are optimal conditions for breeding arowana as they resemble the natural habitat of the fish.
Arowana, whose scientific name is Scleropages aureus, is an ornamental freshwater fish species highly valued for its majestic appearance
He said the optimal water conditions allow for the production of top-quality arowana that can be sold at high prices, including the Albino Super Red species, which can fetch up to RM80,000 each.
“The water here is neither too alkaline nor too acidic. The combination of the correct pH and natural surroundings makes Bukit Merah an ideal location,” he added.
Before the market downturn around 2016, Adzmi used to export some 30,000 arowana fish to China, Japan and Europe, with China being the largest market as the Chinese regard the fish as a symbol of luck and wealth.
Commenting on the ups and downs of the arowana’s market price, he said at one time, even ordinary species could be sold for up to RM600 each, but now the price is only around RM60 to RM150 each.
“(The) Albino gold (species) still fetches between RM12,000 and RM15,000 each, but the market is no longer as vibrant as before,” he said, adding among the factors for the price drop was increased competition in the local and international markets.
Among the species he breeds are Golden Albino, Banjared Albino, Super Red, Golden, Highback, Silver Albino and Banjared.
Speaking about the uniqueness of the arowana, Adzmi said the male has an extraordinary quality of “fasting” for up to two months to protect the eggs and young in its mouth.
“It’s like a hen incubating its eggs, except the male arowana keeps the young in its mouth. When the female releases the eggs, the male takes them and keeps them in its mouth for between 50 days and two months. During that time, it does not eat at all, but can still survive,” said Adzmi, who was also a former manager of the Perlis football team that won the Malaysia Cup twice and the Super League Cup between 2000 and 2007.
He added that when the male becomes too hungry, it sometimes releases the young temporarily, while the female takes over by guarding the surrounding area.
On his future plans, Adzmi said he is ready to pass down the business to his children, with his youngest son now working with him on the farm.
“He has been helping me manage my farm. I believe as long as Bukit Merah exists, the arowana industry will continue to thrive because only here can the most suitable habitat for the world’s most beautiful fish species be found,” said the father of six children aged between 29 and 49. — Bernama
