Abstract: Systematic investigation was conducted to record the ornamental fish’s entrepreneurship and its status in Mysore during May, 2023 to August, 2023 using pre-tested questionnaire by following standard methods. Total 50 aquarium shops were selected randomly at 31 different places in Mysore. Around, 26 different parameters pertaining to the ornamental fishery were considered during the study and the data revealed quite interesting results. Altogether, 115 ornamental fish species which belong to 14 orders and 26 families were used in aquariums. The Cyprinidae and Cichlidae family members were predominantly used by entrepreneurs and which represented respectively 26.9 and 20.8%.  Surprisingly, 107 exotic fish species and eight indigenous fish species were used by entrepreneurs who represented 96.4 and 6.6% respectively. In Mysore, Udayagiri area has more number of aquarium shops, accounted 22% and it was followed by Vijayanagara (10%) and Kuvempunagara (8%). Ornamental fish’s entrepreneurs were using both Cauvery river water and bore well water respectively 60 and 20% and remaining 20% entrepreneurs didn’t reveal clearly the source of water for ornamental fish culture.

The entrepreneurs are graduates (30%) and under-graduates (28%) who are doing ornamental fish trading business on medium scale level (58%). Moreover, 78% men and 22% women folk were involved in this activity. Nearly, 82% ornamental fish’s entrepreneurs preferred integrated type of business. Only, 10% entrepreneurs were doing ornamental fishes business exclusively for commercial purpose. Majority of the entrepreneur’s preferred artificial pellet feeds to feed ornamental fishes that account 56%. Around 40% of the entrepreneurs prefer to feed both natural and artificial feeds. The most preferred artificial feed was Optimum and Taiyo. The maintenance of aquariums, materials used, waste (both solid and liquid) management, water recycling, plants and decorative items marketing and economics of ornamental fishery are followed as per the standard methods. Further, commonly occurring fish diseases such as white spot, fin rot, tail rot; bacterial, fungal and viral diseases were managed using standard methods.  Among the diseases, white spot disease prevalence was 21.3% and it was followed by fungal infection (14.9%) and fin rot and tail rot diseases (12.6% each) and controlled by using Bactonil, Paracidol and Anti-itch medicines. Overall, ornamental fish keeping activity is considered as one of the profitable businesses by many people in Mysore. Mysore is one of the tourist’s hubs; ornamental fishery is getting good startup and hence more scope is prevailed in this activity. To get more employment opportunities and good returns, ornamental fishery activities requires encouragement from the government and from the consumers, hobbyists and others who are keeping ornamental fishes in their aquariums for display.

Key words: Ornamental fishes, entrepreneurship, status, Mysore.

| DOI: 10.17148/IARJSET.2023.10934