Abstract:
Adequate knowledge in aquatic health management is one of the most vital components in
sustainable ornamental fish farming. One of the major drawbacks in the Sri Lankan ornamental
fish farming sector has been noted as a lack of knowledge in aquatic health management. Few
studies have been reported in Sri Lanka that addresses the farmers’ knowledge of aquatic health
management. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge on common
freshwater fish diseases and treatments among ornamental fish farmers in Galle district. The Galle
district has 35 Km2 of inland waters, a rich coastal area, and a tropical climate. Primary data was
collected using a telephone-based survey followed by statistical analysis. The study revealed that
only 76.74% out of 215 respondents are currently engaged in ornamental fish farming. Several
reasons were identified for the reduced interest in long-term engagement (> 5 years) in
ornamental fish farming. Platy (29.10%) was reported as the most commonly farmed species.
White spot (36.90%) was the most commonly reported disease, followed by fin rot (21.80%),
dropsy (11.50%) and anchor worm infection (7.87%). The most common practice reported by the
respondents to control diseases was frequent water changes (81.20%). This study revealed that
majority of the fish farmers (68.43 %) in the study area do not practice recommended treatment
methods. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of adequate knowledge in terms of
disease identification, treatment and prevention among the ornamental fish farmers in the study
area.
