The tremor-hit central region of Niigata is the original home and biggest breeding ground of Nishikigoi, colorful fish that swim in the ponds of Japanese gardens and can be worth up to 10 million yen (95,000 dollars) each.

The earthquake, which has killed 40 people, has caused total damage estimated at 6.5 billion yen (62 million dollars) to the around 400 fish breeders in Niigata, a local official said.

"Carp ponds were broken and many carp also died in dirty waters as the quakes cut off power for water filter systems in fish tanks," said the Niigata government official.

Niigata, 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Tokyo, had about three million carp when Niigata was hit on October 23 by the first quake, which registered 6.8 on the Richter scale and was followed by hundreds of aftershocks.

The province, which lies on the Sea of Japan (East Sea), ships carp throughout Japan and the world. Carp fit for export are usually two or three years old, but the official said nearly 90 percent of the dead carp were less than one year old.

"It is very devastating economically. We cannot conduct business for a while," the official said.

There are some 80 different kinds of Nishikigoi, which are prized for their diversity of color and beauty.

Varying in size from 10 centimeters to a meter (less than one inch to more than three feet), Nishikigoi can live to be 70 years old but must always be kept in clean water with ample oxygen.

The Niigata earthquake in human terms was the deadliest to strike tremor-prone Japan since 1995, when 6,433 people were killed in the western city of Kobe.

The Niigata quakes also killed 16 of the region's 63 fighting bulls which are brought out for local contests.

"These bulls died after the roof of their barns collapsed. We are rescuing the remaining bulls by air lifting or transporting in trucks," another local official said.

Officials said many evacuating residents brought their pets with them but some pets, mostly cats and dogs, were left behind in Niigata's Ojiya town where the quakes and aftershocks hit the hardest.

But local health officials regularly visit the town to feed the pets, the official said.

The region is still hit by aftershocks including one Monday which measured 4.2 on the Richter scale, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The focus of the latest quake, which occurred at 9:39 am (0039 GMT), was located 10 kilometers underground, the agency said.

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