The Dragon Behind the Glass

Starred review from April 11, 2016
The Asian arowana, also known as the dragon fish, ranks among the world’s most expensive aquarium fish, and in this engaging tale of obsession and perseverance, journalist Voigt chronicles her effort to study and understand its appeal. The fish is a symbol of luck and status in Asia, where one albino specimen fetched $150,000 in 2002. Its place on the endangered list makes it illegal to traffic or own in the U.S. Voigt calls it “the most dramatic example of a uniquely modern paradox—the mass-produced endangered species.” Voigt’s travels take her deep into Borneo and Myanmar, where she interacts with colorful, capricious characters such as Heiko Bleher, the “Indiana Jones of the tropical fish industry,” and renowned ichthyologist Tyson Roberts. Through Voigt initially just wants to see the elusive arowana in the wild, she succumbs to the lure of the unknown and thrill of the hunt. Attempting to track down a previously unstudied species, she “began to suspect that relationship with the arowana was not 100 percent healthy.” Voigt’s passion in pursuing her subject is infectious, as is the self-depreciating humor she injects into her enthralling look at the intersection of science, commercialism, and conservationism. Maps & photos. Agent: Abigail Koons, Park Literary Group.

May 1, 2016

Not since Candace Millard published The River of Doubt has the world of the Amazon, Borneo, Myanmar, and other exotic locations been so colorfully portrayed as it is here. Reporting how the Asian arowana fish, an endangered species, has become a cultural and commercial phenomenon, journalist Voigt, whose work has been published in the New York Times, OnEarth, and Mother Jones, opens with the shocking murder of a young exotic fish seller who has an eye for selecting extremely valuable arowana. The author traveled to Singapore and other South Asian destinations, visiting fish conventions, exotic fish farms, and remote and dangerous locations trying to find out why the arowana cultivates such passion among exotic fish collectors. She discovered a surprisingly cutthroat business, encountering unusual characters such as Kenny the Fish, the reigning head of the South Asian aquaculture; ichthyologists Heiko Behler and Tyson Roberts; and Ralf Britz. Voigt skillfully intersperses historical and legal aspects of the unusual world of these sea creatures and poses a number of intriguing ethical questions for readers to ponder. Who knew that aquaculture could be so ruthless? VERDICT A compelling must-read that will appeal to those interested in wildlife or conservation.--Rebecca Hill, Zionsville, IN

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