The Malaysian Fisheries Department expected the Malaysian ornamental fish industry to grow by 20.4% in 2011 (Borneo Post Online, 2010). In 2012, the fisheries sector, consisting of food fish and non-food fish, contributed RM11,440 million to the economy (Yusoff & Aishah, 2015). The food fisheries sector alone produced 1,780,168 tonnes worth RM10,598 million, while the non-food fisheries sector such as seaweed, ornamental fish and aquatic plants contributed RM843 million. Furthermore, ornamental fish production in 2012 was 376,679,177 pieces and valued at RM550. 41 million. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2006, the global market size for ornamental fish and aquatic plants was estimated at RM46. 5 billion, 15 billion dollars and is expected to grow between 10 and 15% annually. Aquariums are mostly filled with brightly colored fish and other aquatic creatures that are attractive to look at. As far as aquarium hobbies are concerned, ornamental fish are fascinated by them, because they are generally characterized by their colors and color combinations. They are also called the "living jewels" due to their species diversity, wide variety of colors, shapes, swimming patterns and soft behavior. All these factors determine their value on the market. Binders are the ingredient used to improve feed production and to stabilize diets in water (Marina Paolucci et al., 2012). Their role is to determine the variable level of firmness if it is acceptable for a specific eating behavior. From some recent experiments, binders have been included in practical fish diets to generate larger feces when excreted into the water to reduce pollution (Brinker, 2007). The inclusion of a binder is a necessity to ensure stable feeding in water. Many substances have been selected for their binding properties. To produce hard pellets, mainly natural binders were used with the aim of increasing water stability with consequent reduction in nutrient loss. However, slow feeders such as crayfish and shrimp are able to manipulate food using their mouth appendages prior to ingestion (Holdich, 2002) Please note: this is just one example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay According to De Silva and Anderson 1995, binders can be grouped into three different classes: binders of protein origin, binders of carbohydrate origin and binders without nutritional value. Furthermore, more than 50 organic and inorganic binders have been used in the feed industry (Kalian & Morey, 2009). However, some of these binders, such as wheat gluten or starches, have nutritional value for animals, while others are inert raw materials with no nutritional value (Sinha et al. , 2011).