"I grew up with a lot of fish at home as they were my mother’s hobby," shares Ernesto.
Today, Ernesto prides himself on being one of only three people here who have been able to breed Silver Arowanas in captivity.
"This is where I gained my fame," says a proud Ernesto, vice president of the Philippine Arowana and Luo Han Society.
He goes into the complexities of Arowanas, including the fact that it is hard to tell the male from the female Arowana. He is actually only able to do this when the fish lays her eggs. And although it is the female that lays the eggs, it is the male who carries them for the next six or seven weeks. Interesting, needless to say.
The process begins with the female laying the eggs, which the male then fertilizes, then they hatch. As soon as this happens, the male scoops the little fish into his mouth and they stay there for the next few weeks. It is after about seven weeks that Ernesto comes in and takes the fish from the male Arowana’s mouth and cares for them until they reach maturity.
So much does Ernesto love his fish that he goes as far as Hong Kong and Singapore to buy them. He prefers to get his fish in Hong Kong because he finds a wider variety of fish there and they are a little cheaper than in Singapore.
We tell Ernesto that we know quite a few people who keep Arowana because they are considered lucky, so has he ever had an Arowana die on him?
"There have been many of them that have died," relates Ernesto. "But I look at the Arowanas that have died as the fish’s way of keeping me safe rather than as signs of bad luck."
Ernesto’s job is such that it has him traveling a lot – he has noticed that he has lost most of his Arowanas when he is abroad. He says that each Arowana that has died has kept him safe on his trip and given him good luck.
Even his two daughters have been named after fish – his eldest daughter is Arowana Sofia and his second daughter is Arabela Regan (this name is taken from another fish that he has, the Vieja Regani).
People look at the Arowana as lucky because of the belief that the fish is a reincarnation of the dragon. But there are two kinds of Arowanas, the Golden and Red which most people prefer to have for luck. Ernesto tells me that the Golden Arowana is kept for good business and the Red one for a happy family life.
Ernesto says he has both the Golden and Red Arowana – and business is good, as well as life with a loving wife and two daughters. But he is quick to point out that he must have good karma because he treats his fish well, more than the fact that this fish bring good luck.
Among the Arowana varieties, it is the Asian or Golden Arowana that is considered endangered. This is why Ernesto tells us that people are only allowed to get these Arowanas if they were bred in captivity. "These Arowanas are microchipped," he says. "But, just like many other things there are still many people who sell Golden Arowana which are caught in the wild."
And then there is the Flower Horn fish.
This breed of fish is man-made, shares Ernesto. They were bred as a cross between two fish and the Chinese consider them lucky because of the scribbling on their bodies which resemble Chinese characters. "Some of the people I know collect the Flower Horns because they bet on the number they are able to read on the fish," he quips.
In this the Year of the Monkey, the Flower Horn Fish is said to be extra lucky, says Ernesto. This information was told to him by one of the members of PAHLS who believe in keeping fish for luck.
And just how much does it cost to get started on an aquarium? "About P2,500," opines Ernesto. This includes a 50-gallon aquarium, filter, aerator and an Arowana or even a Flower Horn. But he warns that anyone interested in buying fish must get them from good pet shops. He defines these as those where the aquariums are clean, where the surroundings do not smell and where the food on sale is clean and fresh. "Be wary of getting fish from stores that are not well-kept, because chances are the fish there will not be strong," shares Ernesto.
And even if hehas been raising fish for over 20 years now, he still has many other plans for his school. "I want to breed the Asian Arowana. I have four of them and hopefully my good karma will continue and I will be able to do just that," he adds.
And yes, Ernesto eats fish, just not the ones which he considers his pets. Matter of fact, his backyard is full of fish that have died, for that is where he buries them.
"I love the way my fish are able to help me relax," shares Ernesto. "They calm my nerves when I come home from a hard day at work."
If you are interested in getting started on your aquarium of Arowanas and Flower Horns, you can call Ernesto at 0917-8144568 or log on to their website at www.palhs.com.