The appeal of the unique dragonfish
AS A group of dragonfish enthusiasts look on, the dazzling creature energetically swims around in a long aquarium in the home of Na Sopich.
But one thought that keeps passing through their minds is why not everyone is in love with the auspicious fish as much as they are?
Known scientifically as the Asian arowana, the dragonfish (or trey neak in Khmer) has become a symbol of harmony and prosperity, thanks to its rarity and unique beauty.
With its big red scales and a pair of barbels, the fish is said to resemble a powerful dragon. Feng shui practitioners believe that combined with glaring water, the dragonfish’s red colour creates a golden glow which represents wealth.
Ao Nan, a feng shui consultant in Phnom Penh, tells The Post that keeping dragonfish is a tough task and could bring consequences if not done properly.
“The owners cannot let them die or their luck will run out,” Nan says. “Their deaths will bring the owners problems. In contrast, if [dragonfish] are raised well, they will bring good fortune to the owner’s career or business and improve their social network.”
And, Nan says, an owner can’t simply put the fish tank anywhere they wish. “The owners need to keep the dragonfish’s tank or aquarium in a location where it is on their right when they enter the house. Doing the opposite will bring disaster.”
However, the belief in feng shui doesn’t really concern Na Sopich, a co-founder of the Cambodia Arowana Group, which has nearly 400 members.
“We created this group because we wanted to network with other enthusiasts. We also wanted to share our knowledge about raising dragonfish which, for me, is a pet and part of my home décor,” Sopich said.
While most members of CAG simply love the rare fish, Sopich admits that some of them trade in it for for profit. Sopich himself recently sold two dragonfish for $800, which netted him a $780 profit.
Top dragonfish species, like the ones with bright white scales, can fetch tens of thousands of dollars. While the fish can be expensive, they are quite easy to care for.
“Technically, raising them is not difficult. What we need are clean water and an air pump. We feed each of them two or three shrimps per day,” Sopich said.”