The Sustainably Minded Aquarist Part I – Wild Animals

By Ret Talbot

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There are many similarities between the marine aquarium trade and the seafood trade, but perhaps one of the most important is that both are dependent on wild animals. While aquaculture exists for both aquarium fishes and food fishes, large numbers of wild fishes are regularly taken from the ocean to meet demand. This makes these two industries fairly unique in terms of their reliance on wildlife. When it comes to aquarium fishes, the number of species bred in captivity is on the rise, but more than 90% of the fishes commonly kept in aquaria still come from wild reefs. Whether you chose to keep fishes harvested from the wild or not, understanding how dependent the marine aquarium trade is on wildlife is essential to becoming a sustainably minded aquarist.

Why Is It Important to Know Where Your Fishes Originate?

Many new marine aquarists are surprised to learn most of the fishes available at the local fish store originate on wild reefs half a world away. Many aquarists are also surprised to learn that, in the majority of cases, traceability is, at best, poor. In other words, it is often difficult (if not impossible) to know where …read more

Read more here: Advanced Aquarist