Pet fish providing stress relief

Jamaicans from all walks of life are stocking up on ornamental fish for stress relief.

This is according to fish farmer Leon Mattis, 46, who said the aquarium fish are major stress relievers. Mattis, who is the owner and operator of LMC Super Fish World and Landscaping in Seaview Gardens, Kingston 11, says sales have increased significantly since the pandemic, and he often has to turn to other farmers to supply his customers.

"We have to understand say life stressful and the presence of another life around us take your minds off the bills and the worries of the world. If 90 per cent of us just take a time out each day and sit down in front of a well-decorated fish tank and watch the fish in motion, you forget say you owe yuh light and water rate. All if yuh woman a give you problem, you don't even member she," he said.

Ornamental fish were mostly seen in aquariums 'uptown', but Mattis, who has been in the business for more than 20 years, said many of his customers are from the inner city.

"These people I tell yuh love dem pet fish and a lot of dem buy more than one tank. Is not just an uptown ting any more. Just the sound of the water running in the aquarium is calming. People will invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in their fish tank. Mi know woman who spend over $100,000 to decorate, make her tank and buy her tank and she tell mi straight say she wouldn't spend that on her man because the fish offer her a kind of peace that her man can't," Mattis said.

One of Mattis customers, Suzan, was seen purchasing a pair of Japanese goldfish. Her face lit up when she spoke about her watery friends stating that they are her stress relievers.

"These two will make a dozen. I have an aquarium and it's a joy just watching them swim and carry on in their own little world. Believe it or not they are very smart and sensitive and they know and love the presence of humans. They are my little friends and I have grown so close to them that whenever one of my fish die, I will cry my heart out," she said.

Mattis said the fish have qualities similar to that of humans.

"Is not everybody can live at the same place in harmony. They will kill off each other and when it's mating season, some of them are terrible. More time mi sit and watch them play or fight and mi just have to laugh. Dem have a lot of emotions and dem express jealousy, love and other features that humans have. When little sex fi gwan dem don't want to do it in crowd so every other fish have to go one side while the two do dem ting. Mi say them very sensible," he said.

A pair of Mattis' ornamental fish range from $250 to $15000. Mattis also raises and sells tilapia but that part of the business is paused temporarily as one of his tanks was damaged during last October's earthquake. He, however, stated that a new batch of tilapia will be ready in time for Easter as they are in demand.

"People always flock my fish dem because dem big and the fact that the customers can watch dem grow make dem feel comfortable to buy it. Easter around the corner but no worries because a whole heap a go deh here for sale," he said.

Mattis, who suffers from a disability that hinders his movement, got certified in aquaculture at the then HEART Trust/NTA in the early 2000s. With the assistance of Anthony Hylton, member of parliament for St Andrew Western, Mattis was able to legally secure the spot from which he now operates his business. With revenue from his small business and help from a few sponsors, he has constructed a modern farm, which consists of ponds and tanks.