S'poreans keep fish in 'hotels'

S'poreans keep fish in 'hotels'

SINGAPORE (AP): Men in this wealthy Southeast Asian city-state
are spending thousands of dollars every month to keep their
tropical fish in "hotels" across the island.

Even Singaporeans with their own ponds are turning to fish
hotels because they don't have enough space for their koi at
home, the Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Tony Lee, a 54-year-old businessman, spends US$2,800 every
month to keep his "other family" -- over 100 koi -- fed and
sheltered in one of the island's growing fish hotels, the paper
reported.

The fish need room to "swim and flex their muscles", Lee was
quoted as saying.

Stella Pay, owner of the Nippon Koi Farm, told the paper many
men kept their fish in hotels so their wives wouldn't find out
how much money they were spending on them.

Pay, who was not immediately available for comment, has about
100 customers, all men, who rent space for about 4,000 fish. Some
people leave the fish at the hotel while on vacation, but most of
the fish are permanent residents.

Pay rents out small, medium and "investment"-sized ponds. A
small pond can hold about 15 small fish while an investment-sized
pond caters to serious hobbyists who take part in koi
competitions and can be as big as an Olympic-sized pool.