Walking through a pet store, it’s easy to be mesmerized by walls of stacked aquaria filled with flamboyant fish – some which may have an even more remarkable backstory. Some fish may have been collected from a river in India, others bred in a facility in the Czech Republic, and some may even be tied to illegal smuggling operations. The big business of the aquarium trade represents about $15–30 billion annually, and the vast majority (90%) of traded fishes are from freshwater. Of the some 125 countries involved, those in Asia supply 57% of the trade, and top exporting countries include Singapore, Japan, the Czech Republic, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Israel. The aquarium trade also acts as a double-edged sword for fish conservation, and a recent publication in the journal Fish Biology uses case studies of several species to provide insight into the potential benefits and risks of this market, as well as offering suggestions for creating an aquarium trade that aids in fish conservation efforts (Evers et al. 2019).

 

The authors first discuss the case of the cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi). An industry to collect this popular aquarium fish developed along the Rio Negro in Brazil, where local community members catch the tetras from pools where they gather during the dry season. Some fish scientists have been outspoken in their support of the fishery, since the 10,000 people it employs have a vested interest in preventing deforestation and habitat degradation. However, increases in shipping costs and captive breeding operations in Southeast Asia and the Czech Republic may be putting the continued existence of this fishery at risk. A fishery initiative on the Rio Negro called Project Piaba is working to promote sustainable aquarium fish collection in the region, suggesting people “Buy a Fish, Save a Tree!”