Advertisements
Aquatic Avenue Banner Tropica Shop Banner Fishy Business Banner
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 36

Thread: Oriental Aquarium

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,702
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Oriental Aquarium

    Advertisements
    Fresh n Marine aQuarium Banner

    Advertise here

    Advertise here
    Hi, everyone,

    Together with the Professor and a few friends, I had the honour of being invited to visit Oriental Aquarium on Sunday. Dr Unnikrishnan and one of the family members of Oriental were very kind to take time off their busy schedules to show us around the place. I must say Oriental is really huge. The farm is easily 5 to 6 times the size of Teo's Aquatics.

    For our foreign friends in this forum who may not have heard of Oriental - They are one of the biggest, if not the biggest aquatic plant import/exporters in the world. Oriental is located somewhere to the north of Singapore in quite a remote area. Besides the one in Singapore, they also have farms in Malaysia and China.

    Oriental is still very much a family business and usually, they don't entertain walk-in visitors. When I toured the place, I can understand the reasons why. The sheer size of its premises makes it impossible for Oriental to keep an eye on visitors. To do so, they would probably have to double or tripled the number of staff. Many of the paths in the farm are also very wet and slippery and a visitor can easily fall and injure himself if he's not careful. I enquired about organised tours but they explained that it would be impossible for them to conduct such tours because plant shipments are usually carried out on weekends and they just don't have enough manpower to spare. So, sorry guys. I tried but you really can't blame them for not allowing visitors.

    Anyway, the good folks at Oriental were very nice and they allowed me to take many pictures. Here are some of them:

    The place where plants are sorted out and tied into bundles


    Thousands of pots of Annubias grown emersed


    A new moss that Oriental is cultivating. It has a very appropiate common name - Weeping Moss


    The plants are watered at regular intervals by sprinklers


    Java Moss grown emersed on wet floors


    More Java Moss grown submersed in baskets


    Annubias everywhere!! Who needs CO2?


    [b]Oriental's ice cream sticks (Java Moss grown emersed)


    Bolbitis heudelotii


    Adding value to plants by using driftwoods


    Micranthenum umbrosum emersed


    Collecting plants for shipment


    Hygrophila polysperma


    Parrot Feathers?


    Plants, plants and more plants


    Mother of all aquatic plants?


    Hemianthus Callitrichoides?


    Many species of Echinodorus


    Echinodorus bleheri


    Young seedlings transferred from tissue culture lab


    2 toned Parrot Feather?


    Putting them into pots


    Cleaning plants with powerful jets of water


    Cleaned plants


    Packed and ready for export


    Hope you enjoyed the tour :smile:

    Loh K L

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Maine USA
    Posts
    14
    Feedback Score
    0
    That place is simply amazing...I can't wait to see weeping moss in my tank. Oh well maybe sometime next decade .
    Ryan aka wicked_good_guppies

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Tampines, Singapore.
    Posts
    7,920
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    7
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Oriental Aquarium

    Quote Originally Posted by timebomb
    For our foreign friends in this forum who may not have heard of Oriental - They are one of the biggest, if not the biggest aquatic plant import/exporters in the world. Oriental is located somewhere to the north of Singapore in quite a remote area. Besides the one in Singapore, they also have farms in Malaysia and China.
    I understand that Oriental alone account for about 10% of world aquatic plant market share. In fact many of the plants that Tropica is famous for originated here, such as the Echinodorus Marble Queen.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Choa Chu Kang, Singapore
    Posts
    3,148
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Thanks Kwek Leong for posting up the pics... good composition, commentaries and helluva long time to download on my dialup connection! :wink:

    It would be worth-while to consider a write-up on your visit and post the article at the main site.
    I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
    Ronnie Lee

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,702
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by RonWill
    It would be worth-while to consider a write-up on your visit and post the article at the main site.
    Oh, I think Budak is going to do that. He writes far better than anyone I know.

    Loh K L

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Choa Chu Kang, Singapore
    Posts
    3,148
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Oriental Aquarium

    Quote Originally Posted by hwchoy
    In fact many of the plants that Tropica is famous for originated here, such as the Echinodorus Marble Queen.
    ... not forgetting the Echinodorus 'Oriental'... my favourite echi :wink:
    I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
    Ronnie Lee

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Ang Mo Kio
    Posts
    431
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Thanks Mr Loh for the Introduction of Oriental Aquarium.

    Hope soon we can easily get cheaper Hemianthus Callitrichoides?

    So did you manage to buy any plants from them?

    Cheers.
    Best Regards, TS
    PlantLog Garden Cryptocoryne, Bucephalandra .....

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,702
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by ts168
    Hope soon we can easily get cheaper Hemianthus Callitrichoides? So did you manage to buy any plants from them?
    We didn't buy any plants as Oriental gave them to us for free. But then again, I took only one piece of driftwood that has an unusual liverwort growing on it. I would have gladly paid for it but Oriental was generous. I hope though we didn't impose on their generosity. We weren't looking for cheap plants when we visited Oriental. To be allowed to visit is already such an honour :wink:.

    Loh K L

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Ang Mo Kio
    Posts
    431
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    ok thanks. I just got myself a pot of Hemianthus Callitrichoides to try out.

    Best Regards, TS
    PlantLog Garden Cryptocoryne, Bucephalandra .....

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Posts
    4,194
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Quite an eye-opener really!


    Mohamad Rohaizal.
    If you've learnt, teach, if you have, give.
    Don't walk behind me as I might not lead, don't walk in front of me as I might not follow. Walk beside me, as my friend.
    Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Maine USA
    Posts
    14
    Feedback Score
    0
    Were you able to acquire any of the Weeping Moss because that really looks cool?
    Ryan aka wicked_good_guppies

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Baltimore, MD, USA
    Posts
    2
    Feedback Score
    0
    Wow, KL! Thanks for that tour of the nursery. I'm now dying to get some Hemianthus Callitrichoides too!
    cheers,
    shireen


    An addendum ...

    I found their website. http://www.orientalaquarium.com
    They grow variegated A. nana and C. wendtii! Ahhhh! I want some! I just emailed my fish store begging them to get the plant list and put in an order. Does anyone have their gorgeous catalogs? I wish it could be viewed on-line, it looks incredible.

    BTW, KL. Remember that "Erect Moss" you sent? For the longest time, I kept it in a container of water by the window because my tanks were algae-infested disasters. About a month ago, I set up a tank with A. barteri, some long-leaf Java, and attached the "Erect Moss" to some wood. It's coming up beautifully -- in fact, it's very cute. You should have named it "Perky Moss". javascript:emoticon('')

    Thanks my friend for all you've given me. YOU ARE THE GREATEST!
    Let me know if you want any eggs this year, the weather will be warm soon and safe to ship.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Willards Md USA
    Posts
    120
    Feedback Score
    0
    Awesome! Thanks for sharing! Loh K L,
    Makes one wonder if their eyes are seeing correct!
    Deb Bear
    AKA#08746
    SAA#175

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Tampines, Singapore.
    Posts
    7,920
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    7
    Country
    Singapore
    The Oriental Catalogue is very nice and retails for only about US$25. But it'll probably cost you US$40 by the time it includes shipping.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Posts
    334
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Kwek Leong,
    Thanks for the web tour. It was very educational. Can't wait for the weeping moss.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,702
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by Wicked_good_guppies
    Were you able to acquire any of the Weeping Moss because that really looks cool?
    I wouldn't be a Moss lover if I didn't, Ryan :wink:. Although I didn't take any from Oriental during the visit, I have this moss in my tanks. Oriental sent some to me long before the visit. :smile:

    Quote Originally Posted by whimbrel
    Let me know if you want any eggs this year, the weather will be warm soon and safe to ship.
    Shireen, no one did more to help me when I was building this web site. If there's any plant, book or whatever you need from Singapore, all you have to do is ask. I lost your mailing address when my computer crashed so can you please send it again through private email. I would even send you my heart if it's not already taken .I don't keep as many Killies as I used to so you don't have to send me anymore eggs. We have now quite an active killifish scene going in Singapore and with the resources and connections of the guys here, it's much easier to acquire eggs. But thanks for the offer, anyway. You're very kind.

    Folks,

    Gan Cheong Weei who was at Oriental too on Sunday sent me 4 pictures. I must say Cheong Weei takes much better photographs than I do. But that isn't a surprise really; all I know is to point and shoot

    The first 2 pics are Oriental's planted tanks inside their research room. The moss on the driftwood in the second pic is Weeping Moss. Oriental said that for some strange reason, the moss takes on the "weeping look" only after it has been conditioned in the tank for some time. Oriental keeps many planted tanks inside their research room but they are not for aesthetic purposes. They are used for scientific research.



    Cheong Weei's pictures give a much better perspective of Oriental's size. The 2 men with their backs facing the camera are Professor Benito Tan and Dr Unnikrishnan. They are camera-shy



    Loh K L

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    1,229
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    38
    Country
    Singapore
    Great pics and tour!

    There is a old chinese saying:"The scholars need not be out of the house to know everything in the world".

    It's a treat to my eyes!

    Thanks.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Britain
    Posts
    25
    Feedback Score
    0
    Great pictures, Oriental aquariums looks vast - it must have taken a while to get around. It's very interesting to see how the plants are grown on a grand scale and yet another beutiful moss to collect. Is any more information known about the moss ie where its origins are and latin name.
    Cheers
    Tony

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Western Singapore
    Posts
    905
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    4
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by Tony
    Great pictures, Oriental aquariums looks vast - it must have taken a while to get around. It's very interesting to see how the plants are grown on a grand scale and yet another beutiful moss to collect. Is any more information known about the moss ie where its origins are and latin name.
    Cheers
    Tony
    We were told the moss could be from China. Pof Tan is in the process of iding it.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    United States of America
    Posts
    3
    Feedback Score
    0

    Oriental Aquarium

    Hi KL - thanks for sharing the tour with us! Great photos.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •