BLAME IT ON the Nemo effect. Time was when local fish fanciers lusted after such species as pompom goldfish and black rasboras - all freshwater varieties. But over the past six years, their attention has gradually turned to marine fish, a swing accelerated following the release of Finding Nemo, the 2003 animated feature about the adventures of a clownfish.
That shift is evident in Mong Kok, the focus of the local aquarium world. Any fish fancier worth his salt eventually makes his way to the northern section of Tung Choi Street, just a few minutes' walk from the Prince Edward MTR station. Known informally as the Goldfish Market, the area is crammed with about 70 shops displaying assorted marine and freshwater species, as well as aquarium accoutrements from filters and ultraviolet lamps to special fish meal.
In 2000, only one in five customers looked for marine fish, but now they make up half the number, says Sammy Leung Hoi-kin, the owner of Blue Planet Aquahouse. Hong Kong's supply comes mainly from seas around the Philippines and Indonesia, but marine fish are also imported from Australia, the Red Sea and from as far afield as Mexico and Brazil.
Although the market is busiest at the weekend, aficionados often pop by after work to check if there's any new stock. 'Some people just feel they're missing something when they don't come down,' says Leung. 'Some may only come to browse, but they go home with fish if they see something they like.'
Nearly 20 per cent of Leung's customers are overseas fish fanciers, including some from the Middle East, who take advantage of their business trips to Hong Kong to ferret out new stock. 'They hunt for rare species to bring home with them on the plane,' Leung says. 'They know Tung Choi Street is a hub of aquarium fishes from all over the world.'
While there are no official figures on Hong Kong fish fanciers, a telephone poll of 10,000 families conducted by local hobbyist magazine Aqua-Zone three years ago found that more than 20 per cent kept aquarium fish. It's a male-dominated pursuit. 'More than 80 per cent of my customers are men,' Leung says. 'The rest are women accompanying their boyfriends to the shops.'